About me
Dr. Ekong specializes in treating babies and children with a wide range of liver diseases including autoimmune diseases, biliary atresia, progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis syndromes, other genetic/metabolic liver diseases, non-cirrhotic portal hypertension, and chronic hepatitis B and C. She also provides care for children who need a liver transplant and those who have undergone liver transplantation.
She is triple-board certified in general pediatrics, pediatric gastroenterology and transplant hepatology, in addition to being a member of the Royal College of Physicians of the United Kingdom. Dr. Ekong attended medical school at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. She then earned her Master of Public Health degree at Northwestern University in Chicago and did a pediatrics residency at Lincoln Hospital, Bronx, NY. She completed a fellowship in pediatrics/pediatric gastroenterology at Columbia University in New York and a fellowship in pediatrics/transplant hepatology at Northwestern University.
Dr. Ekong’s approach to treating her patients focuses on providing care from a skilled, compassionate multidisciplinary team consisting of clinical psychologists, registered dieticians, transplant pharmacists, and hepatobiliary and transplant surgeons. The team is dedicated to supporting not only the patient, but also the patient’s family as they deal with their child’s illness.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Ekong is an active researcher. Her laboratory focuses on developing ways to improve the long-term function of the transplanted liver in children and investigates the pathogenesis of autoimmune liver diseases both before and following liver transplantation. She has published several articles in the American Journal of Transplantation, Hepatology, Liver Transplantation, Pediatric Transplantation, Journal of Immunology, as well as several book chapters on pediatric liver transplantation.
Dr. Ekong is a member of several national societies including the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Nutrition (NASPGHAN), American Society for Transplantation (AST), Society of Pediatric Liver Transplantation (SPLIT) and American Association of Immunologists (AAI). She has held leadership positions with many of these societies.
She has been an invited speaker at several meetings in North America, and Europe.
She is also an Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Gastroenterology/Hepatology) at Georgetown University.
When not at work, Dr. Ekong enjoys traveling and running.
Clinical areas of focus
- Artificial Liver Therapy
- Autoimmune Hepatitis
- Blood Clotting Disorder Treatment
- Bone Cancer Staging
- Chronic Liver Disease Treatment
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Intestinal Atresia
- Liver Cancer
- Liver Cancer Treatment
- Liver Cirrhosis
- Liver Failure
- Liver Function Testing
- Liver Transplant For Toxicity
- Polycystic Liver Disease
- Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
- Renal Failure Treatment
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Acquired Absence Of Organs
- Arterial Embolism
- Ascites
- Autoimmune Hepatitis
- Benign Neoplasm Of Digestive System
- Biliary Tract Disease
- Cardiometabolic Disorders
- Cholestasis
- Cholestasis Of Pregnancy
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- Complications Of Transplanted Organs And Tissue
- Congenital Malformations Of Bile Ducts
- Congenital Malformations Of Gallbladder, Bile Ducts And Liver
- Congenital Malformations Of Great Veins
- Congenital Malformations Of Musculoskeletal System
- Cytomegaloviral (CMV) Infection
- Cytomegaloviral Disease In Liver Transplant Patients
- Disorders Involving The Immune Mechanism
- Disorders Of Amino
- Disorders Of Aromatic Amino
- Disorders Of Branched
- Disorders Of Carbohydrate Metabolism
- Disorders Of Fluid, Electrolyte And Acid
- Disorders Of Mineral Metabolism
- Disorders Of Sphingolipid Metabolism And Lipid Storage
- Family History Of Malignant Neoplasm
- Functional Intestinal Disorders
- Gastric Cancer
- Hemochromatosis
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Immunodeficiencies
- Infectious Mononucleosis
- Intestinal Atresia
- Intestinal Infections
- Intrahepatic Bile Ducts Cancer
- Liver Cancer
- Liver Cirrhosis
- Liver Encephalopathy
- Liver Failure
- Liver Fibrosis
- Liver Metastases
- Liver Transplant Rejection
- Long Term Drug Therapy
- Malabsorption
- Necrotizing Vasculopathies
- Neoplasms Of Lymphoid, Hematopoietic And Related Tissue
- Neutropenia
- Newborn Feeding Problems
- Newborn Hypoglycemia
- Perinatal Digestive System Disorders
- Polycystic Liver Disease
- Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
- Protozoal Diseases
- Secondary Hypertension
- Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis
- Transplanted Organ And Tissue Status
- Transplanted Organ Failure
- Venous Embolism
- Viral Hepatitis
- Viral Infection
- Wilson Disease
Procedures I perform
- Acute Liver Failure Treatment
- Adrenal Tumor Treatment
- Arterial Thrombolysis
- Arthrocentesis
- Artificial Liver Therapy
- Ascites Treatment
- Autoimmune Hepatitis Diagnosis
- Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba Syndrome Treatment
- Bile Duct Cancer Treatment
- Biopsy Interpretation
- Blood Chemistry Test
- Blood Clotting Disorder Treatment
- Blood Gas Analysis
- Bone Cancer Staging
- Breast Cancer Treatment
- Budd-Chiari Syndrome Treatment
- Celiac Artery Stenosis Treatment
- Cerebral Fibromuscular Dysplasia Treatment
- Chemotherapy For Liver Cancer
- Chronic Liver Disease Treatment
- Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan
- Coronary Thrombectomy
- Cryoablation Of Liver Tumors
- Cystitis Management
- Deceased Donor Liver Transplant
- Dialysis
- Dilation Of Common Hepatic Duct
- Duplex Scan Of Abdominal Organs
- Embolization Of Glomus Tumors
- Endocrinology Care
- Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography
- Enteroscopy
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis Treatment
- Esophageal Dilation
- Esophageal PH Monitoring
- Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Management
- Fructose Malabsorption Test
- Gallbladder Cancer Treatment
- Gastric Surgery
- Gastrointestinal Adenoma Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Amyloidosis Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba Syndrome Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Biopsy
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumor Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Diverticulosis Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Duplication Cyst Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Foreign Body Removal
- Gastrointestinal Functional Disorder Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Infection Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Juvenile Polyposis Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Lymphangiectasia Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Lymphoma Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Melanoma Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Motility Study
- Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumor Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Tube Placement
- Gastrointestinal Varices Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Vascular Malformation Treatment
- Gastrointestinal Virus Treatment
- Gastrostomy Tube Replacement
- Gene Therapy For Bladder Cancer
- Glucose Breath Test
- Hepatic Artery Angioplasty
- Hepatic Artery Embolization
- Hepatic Artery Stenosis Treatment
- Hepatic Artery Thrombosis Treatment
- Hepatic Encephalopathy Management
- Hepatic Vein Stenosis Treatment
- Hepatic Vein Thrombosis Treatment
- Hepatitis E Treatment
- Hydrogen Breath Test
- Hypertension Treatment
- Immunodeficiency Treatment
- Inferior Mesenteric Artery Stenosis Treatment
- Interstitial Nephritis Treatment
- Intra-Abdominal Infection Treatment
- Intragastric Balloon Procedure
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome Treatment
- Lactose Tolerance Test
- Liver Abscess Drainage
- Liver Arterioportal Fistula Treatment
- Liver Arteriovenous Malformation Treatment
- Liver Biopsy
- Liver Cancer Surgery
- Liver Cancer Treatment
- Liver Cyst Drainage
- Liver Function Testing
- Liver Health Screening
- Liver Imaging
- Liver Infection Treatment
- Liver Mass Treatment
- Liver Metastases Treatment
- Liver Necrosis Treatment
- Liver Resection
- Liver Segmentectomy
- Liver Transplant
- Liver Transplant For Toxicity
- Liver Vascular Malformation Treatment
- Lobectomy
- Lower Gi Endoscopy
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Mesenteric Angiography
- Mesenteric Artery Stenosis Treatment
- Milk Allergy Treatment
- Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome Treatment
- Neonatal Abdominal Paracentesis
- Neuroendocrine Tumor Treatment
- Nutrition Counseling
- Osler-Weber-Rendu Syndrome Treatment
- Pancreas Transplant Rejection Treatment
- Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
- Pancreatic Disease Management
- Paraganglioma Treatment
- Parotid Biopsy
- Percutaneous Cholecystostomy
- Percutaneous Diagnostic Liver Excision
- Percutaneous Nephrostomy Tube Exchange
- Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangiography
- Percutaneous Tumor Chemoembolization
- Pheochromocytoma Treatment
- Portal Hypertension Treatment
- Portal Vein Stenosis Treatment
- Portal Vein Thrombosis Treatment
- Portosystemic Shunt
- Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase Deficiency Treatment
- Radioembolization Of Liver Tumors
- Rectal Stricture Dilation
- Renal Failure Treatment
- Rhabdomyolysis Treatment
- Skin Allergy Testing
- Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) Testing
- Splenic Vein Stenosis Treatment
- Stent Placement
- Stomach Drainage
- Superior Mesenteric Artery Stenosis Treatment
- Transitional Cell Carcinoma Treatment
- Transplant Evaluation
- Transrectal Ultrasound
- Trichiasis Treatment
- Upper Gi Endoscopy
- Urinary Tract Obstruction Treatment
- Veno-Occlusive Disease Treatment
- Venous Access Device Removal
- Venous Ulcer Treatment
- Viral Gastroenteritis Treatment
Practice locations
Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location
3800 Reservoir Rd NW Pasquerilla Healthcare Center 2nd Fl Washington, DC, 20007
202-444-3700Fax 877-680-8194
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- POS OA
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- First Health PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Network OA
- HealthyBlue PPO
- HighMark
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- United Healthcare Choice
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- Navigate
- CareFirst NASCO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- IH-Open HMO
- CIGNA PPO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Sentara Health
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Choice POS
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Optimum Choice
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Aetna Classic 5000
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Employee Health Plan
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- Choice POS II
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- UHC Passport
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- CIGNA EPO
- Choice Fund PPO
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- TRICARE East Prime
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- OA Plus
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- IH-Open POS II
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- HumanaChoice PPO
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- Medicare FFS
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- TRICARE East Select
- United Student Resources
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- CareFirst Administrators
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- IH-POS Plus
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Aetna HMO
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CareFirst EPO
- Tricare Reserve Select
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- IH-PPO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- IH-HMO
- IH-POS
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- IH-Network Only Plus
- TRICARE for Life East
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Choice POS II Open Access
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- IH-EPO Plus
- First Health PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- IH-Indemnity
- Beech Street PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Medicare Direct
- Blue Choice Advantage
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Pediatrics, Pediatrics
Fellowship: McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University (2004)
Fellowship: Columbia University Irving Medical Center (2003)
Residency: Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center (2000)
Medical School: Ahmadu Bello University Faculty of Medicine (1992)
Awards
- 1. Best Doctors, Connecticut Magazine, 2019.
- 2. Fellow Research Award, North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Nutrition (NASPGHAN), 2002.
- 3. Best Graduate, Pediatrics, Lincoln Hospital, Bronx, NY, 2000.