Meet the Heroine: Dr Ola Orekunrin

Dr. Ola Orekunrin is a medical doctor, helicopter pilot and the healthcare entrepreneur founder of Flying Doctors Nigeria, West Africa’s first Air Ambulance Service. She’s dedicated to bringing trauma care to the most remote parts of Western Africa and her company, an air ambulance service based in Lagos, is doing just that. She was motivated to start the company after her younger sister tragically died whilst traveling in Nigeria as a consequence of their being no medical air service available to transport her to hospital. Ola graduated as a medical doctor from the University Of York in the UK and is a member of the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine. (Source: LionessesofAfrica.com)

Photo: medium.com

Long hair extensions, lipstick, mini dresses and heels are regular features of Ola Orekunrin‘s presentation. Her grooming belies the hardship she endured to get the first air ambulance in Nigeria, if not West Africa, Flying Doctors, off the ground. Once she conceived the idea to establish the company, she began to save money earnestly, about 60% of her salary as a medical doctor in England. (Source: Sunday Adelaja Blog)

Photo: Sunday Adelaja Blog

Dr Ola Orekunrin got inspired to start Flying Doctors Nigeria when an unfortunate but significant series of event occurred. Whilst visiting relatives in Nigeria, Ola’s younger sister became very ill as a result of her anaemic condition. The local hospital could not handle the crisis, which could have been easily managed with the right medicines in the cupboard of a highly efficient Accident and Emergency hospital ward. To find access to the right medicines, the family sought out air ambulance services in Nigeria and went as far as Ghana, Sierra Leone, Cameroon and across West Africa. The closes one was 5 hours away in South Africa, but by the time logistics had been sorted, it was too late. Ola’s sister had died. (Source: Pulse.ng)

For several years, she denied herself a lot of pleasures, including, she told Vanguard, buying a new car. Instead, she continued to drive the ‘old banger’ she used as a student. “People say they don’t earn enough to save,” Orekunrin said. “Everybody earns enough to save but you’ve just got to deny yourself of certain things. (Source: Sunday Adelaja Blog)