In the News
England's Youngest Doctor Becomes Nigeria’s Flying Doctor
It was estimated in 1995, that 21,000 Nigerian doctors were practicing in the United States alone, which is about the same as the number of doctors working in the Nigerian public service. There are another 8,000 -10,000 working in the UK.
The medical profession is unique in that it is one of the few professions that, after six hard years of study, is respected, low-risk and that provides and almost guaranteed six-figure salary after specialisation in most of the developed world.
It is therefore not difficult to see why our Nigerian trained doctors are drifting abroad by the hoards in search of better working conditions, job security and of course that sizeable pay packet.
Therefore, it is particularly commendable that Dr Ola Orekunrin, born and bred in England has decided to return to Nigeria to incite change in our healthcare system. Dr Ola Orekunrin is 23 years old and wrote her final medical examinations at 21, emerging as one of the youngest medical doctors in the whole of England. Since then she has published her first book and received many post-graduate training accolades in the fields of trauma and emergency medicine. Last year she was selected from over 100 applicants for the prestigious MEXT fellowship in Tokyo, Japan.
Her company, Flying Doctors Nigeria is the first air ambulance service in the whole of West Africa and is quoted as being "one of the most important healthcare innovations in Nigeria this decade".
There will be no rescue, no intervention for us. We can only save ourselves. Many of you know influential people abroad, you must call
these people. You must tell them what will happen to us... say goodbye. But when you say goodbye, say it as if you are reaching through
the phone and holding their hand. Let them know that if they let go of that hand, you will die. We must shame them into sending help.
Paul Rusesabagina (Hotel Rwanda, 2004)
"That was the quote that did it for me" CEO Dr Orekunrin said.
"Every time I saw reports about Nigeria on the TV or read about them in magazines, I felt that same sense of shame, knowing that I had the skills and knowledge to make a difference".
"But it wasn’t until my sister died at just 12 years old in Nigeria and I found myself being able to give better healthcare advice over the phone, than could be given in a tertiary Nigerian hospital, that , that same sense of shame pushed me to be that difference".
"So I quit my job, said goodbye to my political aspirations, president of the BMA, minister for the conservative party, sold my car and my house, and brought my one way ticket to Lagos ... change bound".
Press Release
Bobby Taylor PR
For further information and up-to-date news regarding Flying Doctors Nigeria you can check out Dr Ola Orekunrin's blog at:
http://droladavinci.blogspot.com
