“I couldn’t unsee what I had seen, and I knew I couldn’t just walk away” : An interview with Dr Akingbola Adewunmi, Founder of HealthDrive Nigeria 

Founded in 2018 by a then-medical student, HealthDrive Nigeria has grown into a youth-led movement tackling hepatitis through education, screening, and vaccination. Its founder, Dr Akingbola Adewunmi, recently named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list, shares what sparked his passion, how communities have shaped the work, and his hopes for the future. 

What first sparked your interest in tackling hepatitis? How did that evolve into HealthDrive Nigeria? 

My journey started in 2018 while I was still in medical school. I vividly remember seeing several patients in just one week die from liver decompensation secondary to chronic active Hepatitis B disease. In the gastroenterology clinic, 7 out of 10 new patients were being managed for Hepatitis B-related complications. It was both shocking and heartbreaking. 

That moment took me back to when I was growing up and my mother would often mention “hepatitis,” but I never fully understood what it meant. Now here I was, watching people my age and older suffer or die from a disease that could have been prevented or managed with the right awareness and care. I couldn’t unsee what I had seen, and I knew I couldn’t just walk away from it. 

So, I started small by talking to colleagues, reaching out to infectious disease experts, organizing basic awareness efforts. Bit by bit, what started as a concern turned into a movement. That movement became HealthDrive Nigeria: a platform focused on screening, educating, and providing access to subsidized hepatitis B vaccines in communities that need it most. 

Did you see a gap in how hepatitis was being addressed in Nigeria? / What do you think you’re doing differently? 

Yes, the first and most glaring gap was the lack of awareness. So many people simply didn’t know what Hepatitis B was, how it spreads, or how dangerous it can become. Beyond that, testing efforts were weak. Hepatitis B can stay silent for years, and because many Nigerians only seek healthcare when symptoms become severe, it’s often diagnosed too late, when extensive liver damage has already occurred. Another critical gap was access to vaccines as the 3-dose Hepatitis B vaccine is often unaffordable for many, especially those in low-resource communities. 

At HealthDrive Nigeria, we decided to make awareness the foundation of our strategy. We pair education with actionable solutions including free testing campaigns and highly subsidised vaccination drives targeted at underserved populations, especially in peri-urban and rural areas. 

What sets us apart is that we’re youth-led and we’re not waiting for the system to fix itself, we’re creating grassroots solutions, powered by energy, empathy, and innovation. 

What challenges did you face in launching the initiative? How did you overcome them? 

One of the biggest challenges we faced was funding as we didn’t have large grants or institutional backing when we started, so we relied on partnerships, personal savings, and small donations from individuals who believed in what we were trying to do. 

Another major challenge was getting people to care as at the time, hepatitis wasn’t widely talked about, and many people didn’t see it as urgent. Convincing communities to show up for free testing or complete their 3-dose vaccination schedule required consistent trust-building. We spent hours engaging religious leaders, youth groups, and local influencers to change perceptions. 

We also faced logistical hurdles, especially in rural areas, like cold chain issues for vaccines or getting volunteers to travel long distances. But we built a strong network of young people who were committed and creative. Over time, we learned to do more with less, adapting our strategies to the realities on ground. 

HealthDrive Nigeria works directly with people in schools, rural areas, and faith-based communities. What have these communities taught you about health equity and engagement? 

They’ve taught me that health equity isn’t just about access, it’s about trust, context, and dignity. Working in these communities has shown me that people aren’t “hard to reach”, they’re just often unheard, overlooked, or underserved by systems that weren’t built with them in mind. 

In rural areas, I’ve learned that even basic awareness can be life-saving, and that people are incredibly receptive when information is delivered in a way that respects their values and lived experiences. In faith-based settings, we’ve seen how influential religious leaders can be in shaping health behaviors when they’re part of the conversation, not treated as outsiders. 

Schools have reminded us of the power of early education, when young people understand their health, they become powerful advocates for themselves and their families. These communities have taught us to listen more than we speak, to co-create solutions, and to never assume that we know better just because we come with medical skills. Health equity, I’ve learned, begins with humility and it’s built in partnership. 

How do you build trust with people who may never have been screened or vaccinated before? 

We start by listening without judgment as many people have never been screened or vaccinated not because they don’t care, but because no one ever took the time to explain it to them, or because past experiences with the health system left them feeling ignored or disrespected. 

To build trust, we meet people where they are, in their language, in their spaces, and on their terms. We work with community leaders, teachers, and faith figures who people already trust. We simplify medical information, avoid fear-based messaging, and always take the time to answer questions honestly. We also make sure that when people come for screening or vaccination, they’re treated with dignity and kindness. No one is rushed. No one is blamed. That human connection, being seen, heard, and respected goes a long way in breaking down fear and building lasting trust. 

Can you describe a moment when someone’s experience through HealthDrive really stayed with you? 

Yes, there’s one moment I will never forget. 

During one of our free community screening exercises, a middle-aged man approached us quietly. He looked hesitant but curious. When he received his result and saw it was negative for Hepatitis B, he was visibly stunned. He kept staring at the paper, blinking back disbelief. 

He then told us that two years earlier, he had tested positive at a private facility and since then, he had lived in fear, isolating himself emotionally, and believing his fate was sealed. He hadn’t been able to afford a second test or see a specialist, so he simply carried the weight of that result alone. We offered to carry out a confirmatory test, and again, it came back negative. This time, he broke into the biggest smile. He cried. He laughed. He hugged two of our volunteers. The relief and joy on his face were unforgettable. In his words, “You’ve given me my life back.” 

That moment reminded me why we do this work, to restore peace of mind, to correct misinformation, and to offer people a chance to reclaim control over their health. It was one of those rare, powerful moments that keep you going even through the tough days. 

Your research has been recognised internationally. How does your academic work inform your on-the-ground initiatives in Nigeria? 

During my time at the University of Cambridge, my research focused on comparing complete case analysis and multiple imputation methods for estimating the prevalence of Hepatitis C in People Who Inject Drugs, a population often underrepresented in routine surveillance. This work earned me the Public Health Early Career Researcher’s Award at Cambridge in 2024, and it deeply shaped the way I approach public health on the ground. 

That experience sharpened my understanding of data quality, missing information, and how analytical choices can either uncover or obscure the true burden of disease. It made me more aware of the dangers of relying on incomplete or poorly collected data, especially in low-resource settings. This academic lens has deeply influenced our work at HealthDrive Nigeria as we are intentional about not just collecting data, but collecting the right data, in the right way, and ensuring that even the most marginalized voices are captured. It’s also pushed us to explore innovative tools like our HepMate AI chatbot, which helps ensure post-screening follow-up isn’t lost in the data gaps that so often exist in public health systems. 

You’ve just been named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe, Health Sector (or Passion in Science Awards). What does it mean for you to get this recognition? How will it help the community you work with? 

Honestly, it still feels surreal. Being named on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Europe list and receiving the Passion in Science Award means a lot, not just to me, but to everyone who’s been part of this journey. It’s a reminder that the work we’re doing matters, even if we’re doing it quietly in communities that often don’t make the headlines. 

For me, this recognition is less about the spotlight and more about what it can do for the communities we serve. It brings more attention to hepatitis, a disease that affects millions but is still under-discussed. It opens doors to new partnerships, and resources that can help us scale our outreach, improve access to care, and reach even more people who need it. 

It also means a lot to the young people on our team as most of us started this work as students or recent graduates. This shows them that passion, consistency, and community-driven work can make waves, even globally. At the end of the day, awards like these give us momentum. They remind us that we’re not alone, and that our small efforts are part of something much bigger. 

What are your hopes for the future of hepatitis prevention in Nigeria, and across Africa more broadly? 

I honestly dream of a future where no one dies from hepatitis simply because they didn’t know, or couldn’t afford a test or vaccine. In too many communities, people are still unaware they’re living with the virus until it’s too late. That shouldn’t be happening, not with what we now know, and what we can do. I hope that testing becomes something as normal as checking your blood pressure. That vaccines are not a luxury, but freely available in every local clinic. And that conversations about hepatitis happen openly in schools, in churches, in everyday life. 

Across Africa, I want to see more local solutions, led by the people who understand the challenges best. I also believe the future of hepatitis prevention will be shaped by technology, tools like our HepMate chatbot can help us follow up with patients, answer questions in real-time, and make care more accessible, especially in places where health workers are stretched thin. 

But beyond the tech and the systems, my biggest hope is that people feel seen, informed, and empowered, because prevention starts with people who know they matter. 

If every young health professional could take one step toward ending hepatitis, what would you encourage them to do? 

Start where you are, with what you have, just don’t wait. 

You don’t need a big grant or a fancy title to make a difference. You can start by educating one person, organising a small screening, or simply starting conversations in your community. Hepatitis thrives in silence, and one of the most powerful things we can do is break that silence. I’d also encourage young professionals to stay curious. Learn about hepatitis, understand the gaps, and look for creative ways to fill them, whether through research, advocacy, or innovation. 

Most importantly, use your voice. As young people in health, we have energy, credibility, and reach. If we speak up, act, and lead, we can change not just minds, but systems. And that’s how we move closer to ending hepatitis for good. 

What legacy do you hope HealthDrive Nigeria will leave behind? 

I hope HealthDrive Nigeria is remembered as a movement that gave people access, dignity, and a voice in their own health. I want our legacy to be more than just numbers screened or vaccinated, I want it to be about the trust we built, the conversations we started, and the barriers we broke, especially in communities that were often overlooked. 

I hope we inspire a generation of young Africans to realize that they don’t have to wait for perfect conditions to lead change. That community-led, youth-powered health solution are possible and powerful. And ultimately, I want HealthDrive to be known as part of the story of how Nigeria, and Africa, ended hepatitis, not by waiting, but by acting.