Dr Adewunmi Akingbola is a medical doctor, public health advocate, and founder of HealthDrive Nigeria, who has been recognised by the Clinton Global Initiative University for his work on Hepatitis in Nigeria and the Cambridge Public Health Early Career Researchers Prize for advancing precision public health. In this interview with IFEDAYO OGUNYEMI, he spoke on the challenges facing the health sector in Nigeria and other issues.
What solutions do you propose to the biggest public health challenges facing Nigeria today?
One of the biggest public health challenges in Nigeria today is the lack of accessible and equitable healthcare, particularly in rural and underserved areas. To address this, we need a multi-faceted approach that includes strengthening primary healthcare systems, increasing government investment in healthcare infrastructure, and leveraging technology to bridge the gap. Telemedicine, mobile health clinics, and data-driven public health interventions can significantly improve healthcare access. Additionally, prioritising preventive healthcare, through vaccination programmes, health education, and better disease surveillance, can reduce the burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases. Finally, fostering public-private partnerships and encouraging local pharmaceutical production will enhance Nigeria’s healthcare resilience and reduce reliance on external aid.
What are the barriers to implementing evidence-based public health policies in Nigeria?
One of the major barriers is the gap between research and policy action, many well-researched solutions fail to translate into effective policies due to bureaucratic inefficiencies and lack of political will. Additionally, inadequate funding for health initiatives limits the capacity to scale evidence-based interventions. There is also a shortage of reliable data due to weak health information systems, making it difficult to track disease patterns and evaluate interventions. Moreover, sociocultural beliefs and misinformation can hinder public acceptance of policies like vaccination programmes. To overcome these barriers, Nigeria needs stronger policy frameworks, improved health governance, better stakeholder engagement, and investments in data-driven decision-making.
How can Nigeria improve its healthcare infrastructure and workforce to address future public health crises?
Nigeria can improve its healthcare infrastructure and workforce by prioritising investment in primary healthcare facilities, ensuring that every region, especially rural and underserved areas, has access to well-equipped hospitals and clinics. Strengthening public-private partnerships can also drive innovation and funding for modern medical infrastructure.
Many Nigerians still rely on self-medication for treating infections. How can we change this culture?
Changing Nigeria’s culture of self-medication requires a multi-pronged approach focused on education, regulation, and accessibility. First, public health campaigns should be intensified to raise awareness about the dangers of self-medication, antimicrobial resistance, and incorrect dosages. Community-based education programmes leveraging social media, radio, and local influencers can make health information more relatable and widespread.
Second, stricter regulations on drug sales are crucial. Many people self-medicate because antibiotics and other medications are easily accessible without prescriptions. The government must enforce pharmacy regulations to prevent over-the-counter sales of restricted drugs while ensuring affordable and accessible healthcare alternatives. Finally, improving healthcare access through affordable clinics, expanded health insurance, and telemedicine will provide Nigerians with easier and cheaper options for professional medical advice, reducing their reliance on self-medication.
From your perspective, how prepared is Nigeria to handle emerging infectious disease threats?
Nigeria has made notable progress in responding to infectious disease threats, particularly through the efforts of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in disease surveillance, outbreak response, and laboratory capacity. The country demonstrated resilience in handling Ebola in 2014 and COVID-19, leveraging rapid response teams and public health campaigns. However, gaps remain in preparedness.
There are still challenges in early detection, due to limited diagnostic infrastructure, especially in rural areas. Inconsistent funding, dependence on external aid, and weak healthcare infrastructure make sustained preparedness difficult. Additionally, misinformation, low vaccination rates, and inadequate health workforce training pose risks in effectively containing future outbreaks. To strengthen preparedness, Nigeria must invest in local vaccine production, improve disease surveillance, expand laboratory networks, and integrate technology into outbreak tracking. Strengthening community engagement and public trust in health systems will also be crucial in ensuring swift and effective responses to future infectious disease threats.
Can you highlight some of your most significant studies you’ve been involved in with regards to public health?
One of the most significant studies I have been involved in focused on comparing Complete Case Analysis (CCA) and Multiple Imputation (MI) in estimating the prevalence of Hepatitis C (HCV) among People Who Inject Drugs (PWIDs). Given the high burden of HCV in this population, accurate prevalence estimates are crucial for designing effective public health interventions.
My research explored the limitations of CCA, which often leads to biased estimates due to missing data, and contrasted it with MI, a more sophisticated statistical technique that predicts missing values based on existing data patterns. We found that MI provided more reliable prevalence estimates, helping to address underestimation and improve disease modeling accuracy. These findings reveal the importance of advanced statistical methods in epidemiological research, particularly when dealing with incomplete datasets, which are common in public health surveillance. We can enhance data-driven policymaking and resource allocation, ensuring that HCV prevention and treatment strategies are more accurately targeted toward high-risk populations like PWIDs, by applying these insights.
What inspired you to take the path into epidemiology?
My journey into epidemiology was driven by a deep-rooted passion for understanding and solving public health challenges through data-driven insights. As a medical doctor, I encountered, firsthand, the gaps in disease surveillance, prevention, and treatment, particularly in underserved communities. I saw patients suffer not just from illnesses but from systemic inefficiencies, lack of access to care, poor health infrastructure, and preventable disease outbreaks.
This realisation led me to pursue advanced training in epidemiology, where I could combine my clinical knowledge with quantitative research and statistical analysis to address these challenges on a broader scale. My research on infectious diseases, particularly hepatitis C prevalence in PWIDs, reinforced my belief that evidence-based public health interventions can save lives. I was inspired by how epidemiology allows us to predict, prevent, and respond to health crises, ensuring that medical care extends beyond individual patients to populations as a whole. Ultimately, my goal is to contribute to strengthening health systems, improving disease surveillance, and implementing data-driven policies that create lasting public health impact.
What motivated you to establish HealthDrive Nigeria, and what is its core mission?
I founded HealthDrive Nigeria out of deep concern for the high prevalence of viral hepatitis in Lagos and the broader gaps in preventive healthcare and disease awareness in Nigeria. As a medical doctor, I witnessed how limited screening, lack of public awareness, and inadequate healthcare access contributed to the silent but significant burden of hepatitis and other preventable diseases. HealthDrive Nigeria was born from a desire to bridge these gaps by promoting early detection, community-based education, and accessible healthcare services. Our core mission is to drive preventive healthcare initiatives, increase awareness about infectious diseases, and provide free or affordable screenings for at-risk populations. We work closely with local communities, healthcare professionals, and policymakers to ensure that more people are diagnosed early and connected to treatment and care, as well as vaccinated at an affordable rate.
Ultimately, HealthDrive Nigeria is about empowering people with knowledge and access to healthcare so that preventable diseases do not continue to claim unnecessary lives. Our vision is to see a Nigeria where no one suffers from diseases that could have been prevented with timely intervention.
What are some of the most impactful projects your NGO has undertaken so far and what are the future plans?
The most impactful projects HealthDrive Nigeria has undertaken are our free hepatitis screening and highly subsidised hepatitis B vaccination programmes. Given the high prevalence of viral hepatitis in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria, we recognised the urgent need for early detection and prevention. Through community outreach events, mobile health clinics, and partnerships with local healthcare providers, we have provided free testing to thousands of people and facilitated affordable vaccination to protect at-risk populations.
In addition to hepatitis interventions, we have also worked on public health education campaigns, empowering communities with knowledge about disease prevention, proper hygiene, and the importance of routine medical check-ups. Looking ahead, our future plans focus on integrating technology into public health interventions. We aim to develop digital health solutions such as mobile apps for self-screening, telemedicine consultations, and digital health records to improve healthcare access and continuity of care. We hope to scale our impact and reach even more underserved communities across Nigeria by leveraging technology and data-driven approaches.
If you could implement one major policy change in Nigeria’s public health system today, what would it be and why?
If I could implement one major policy change, it would be to strengthen the enforcement and accessibility of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) scheme by mandating enrollment and expanding coverage to informal sector workers and underserved populations. Currently, a large percentage of Nigerians especially those in rural areas and the informal economy are not enrolled or lack access to the benefits of the scheme. To bridge this gap, the government must implement stronger regulatory oversight, integrate digital health technologies for seamless enrollment, and ensure the financial sustainability of the programme through better funding mechanisms.
Additionally, improving health infrastructure, workforce capacity, and public awareness about NHIA benefits would ensure that Nigerians not only have health insurance but can also access quality care when needed. Without these structural improvements, UHC will remain an ambitious goal rather than a practical reality.
As an expert epidemiologist, what advice do you have for young scientists and public health advocates in Nigeria looking up to you?
My advice to young scientists and public health advocates in Nigeria is to stay curious, data-driven, and solution-focused. Public health challenges can be overwhelming, but real change comes from consistent efforts and innovative thinking. Focus on building strong research and analytical skills, as evidence-based decision-making is key. Seek mentorship, collaborate, and engage with experts and communities to expand your impact. Instead of just identifying problems, think of scalable solutions whether through policy, technology, or grassroots interventions.
Lastly, never stop learning. Public health is evolving, and staying updated on new research and trends will keep you ahead. Most importantly, your work matters every small effort contributes to saving lives and improving health systems. Keep pushing forward!
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