When tragedy struck close to home, Dr. Ola Orekunrin turned personal heartbreak into a mission to save lives across West Africa.
At just 22 years old, Orekunrin was a bright medical student in the United Kingdom when she traveled to Nigeria for a family visit.
But the trip took a devastating turn when her 12-year-old sister fell critically ill. The only chance of survival was an emergency medical evacuation. But there was a problem — no air ambulance service existed in Nigeria, or even in all of West Africa.
“They had a 12-hour activation time,” Dr. Orekunrin recalled in an interview. “By the time they were ready to activate, my sister was dead.”
That traumatic experience forced her to rethink her future.
“I started thinking about whether I should be in England talking about healthcare in Africa, or I should be in Africa dealing with healthcare and trying to do something about it,” she said.
That pivotal moment led to a bold decision. Orekunrin left behind her medical career in the UK and returned to Nigeria, where she founded Flying Doctors Nigeria, the region’s first air ambulance service.
Since its launch, Flying Doctors Nigeria has revolutionized emergency healthcare access across the continent. Using planes and helicopters, the service transports critically ill or injured patients from remote areas to hospitals that can provide urgent care.
The range of cases is vast: road traffic trauma, bomb blast victims, gunshot wounds — and many more.
“We save lives by moving these patients and providing a high level of care en route,” Dr. Orekunrin explained.
Her groundbreaking work has not gone unnoticed. In 2013, the World Economic Forum named her a Young Global Leader, recognizing her contribution to public health and her commitment to innovation in Africa’s medical infrastructure.
