Telehealth start-up bridges healthcare gap in Nigeria.

My name is Funmi Adewara, a Nigerian-British medical doctor. I was born and brought up in the northern state of Kaduna in Nigeria. I studied medicine at the University of Ibadan, some 145 kilometers north of Lagos, and the University of Cambridge in Britain, where I earned a master's degree in bioscience enterprise.

My career spans more than 15 years working for the National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom with a stint in the pharmaceutical industry as a drug safety physician.

I founded and serve as chief executive officer of Mobihealth International, an integrated telehealth start-up. We leverage technology, the diaspora and local doctors to deliver telemedicine and digital health services through secure electronic medical record and video software.

I'm promoting access to healthcare in support of Goal 3, which seeks 'to ensure healthy lives and promote the well-being of people of all ages.'

My journey thus far

Leverage mentors and other available resources to bring your ideas to life and continue to improve on them

My health challenges as a child inspired me to study medicine. I frequently visited hospitals where I met doctors who would later mentor me as I developed an interest in medicine.

Now I am rewriting the narrative of healthcare in underserved communities. I have led a multi-disciplinary team to design a comprehensive telehealth programme that addresses such challenges as long-distance travel for treatment and the shortage of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals.

In my roles as an external reviewer to the Africa Development Bank and a contributor to the United Nations, World Health Summit and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, I influence policy formulation on healthcare, particularly around telehealth programmes at local and regional levels.

Nigeria has a shortage of doctors and an abundance of counterfeit medicines. Many doctors who trained in Nigeria practice outside the country. When I finished my National Youth Service Corps duties, I wanted to leave the country and gain international experience and expertise so that I could return and give back to Africa.

After passing my exams, I joined the NHS as a stroke physician and continued to provide consultation services to people back in Nigeria.

A few of my achievements and career highlights

In 2017, I founded Mobihealth to change how patients access and receive care. Mobihealth offers a much-needed reprieve for those needing urgent access to...