Ola Orekunrin is an Health expert and innovator, born 1986 in England to Nigerian parents from Ekiti State. Orekurin grew up in a foster home in the English seaside town of Lowesoft, an all white community. In the philosophies of her foster mother, Doreen, her mind grew. At the age of 15, she was admitted to study medicine at the University of York, supporting herself through school by modeling and retail work to emerge at 21, one of England’s youngest doctors. Encouraged by her own feat, Orekurin published her first book and made contributions to the British Medical Journal. She was awarded a Japanese government scholarship and moved to Japan to conduct research in the field of regenerative medicine.
Orekurin decided to innovate means of helping extreme emergency situations when her 12-year sister died in transit due to unavailability of critical care transport facilities in Nigeria. She saved up her salary for 9 months, sold her assets and prepared herself for the Flying Doctor initiative, which she had conceptualized. Back to her country of origin, Nigeria, she commenced a daring, capital-intensive project, which is increasingly becoming understood and supported by partnering government agencies. Orekunrin who is also a trainee helicopter pilot, was recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2013.
