Investing in Health Innovation: HFN women’s forum supports young leaders

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The Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN) Women’s Forum has awarded ₦1 million to five female students who developed innovative solutions to healthcare challenges in the country. The winners received their awards at the forum’s office in Lagos, where they shared their future plans and ideas.

The HFN Women’s Forum, launched in 2023, aims to mentor and support the next generation of female healthcare leaders. According to the President of HFN, Mrs Njide Ndili, “The Women’s Forum started in 2023 to create a space where young female students or graduates can grow into leaders in the healthcare sector.” She added, “We organised this pitchathon so they could pitch their ideas before experienced judges. These top three impressed us with bold, brilliant solutions that address real problems. The prize money will help them take the next step.”

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The winners were selected from entries across Nigeria, with judges shortlisting five finalists who pitched their ideas live during the HFN 2025 annual conference in March. The top three winners were chosen based on originality, impact, and presentation strength

The first prize of ₦500,000 went to Miss Anita Orji and Miss Oluwakemi Ifedoyin for developing CODE-RED, a digital emergency platform that helps users find hospitals, track bed space, contact ambulances, and access first aid tips in real-time. The second prize of ₦300,000 was awarded to 400-level medical students Miss Mukhtarah Banire and Miss Zoheeroh Andu for Her Aid, a maternal health initiative that promotes antenatal care, postnatal support, and advocacy to reduce maternal mortality. The third prize of ₦200,000 went to pharmacy student Miss Erinibi Salami for My Drug Aida, a cloud-based platform that links electronic medical records across hospitals to ensure continuity in patient care.

Chief Executive Officer of Cerba Lancet, Dr Yemi Dawodu, who served on the judging panel, praised the quality of entries and described the winners as forward-thinking and solution-driven. She said, “We received many entries and narrowed them down to three. These three pitched live at our annual conference and stood out. My Drug Aida focuses on data continuity. Her aid addresses maternal health. CODE-RED connects emergency stakeholders in real-time. These are student-led ideas, and they were presented with impressive clarity and depth.”

The Public Relations Secretary of HFN, Mrs. Chinyere Okorocha, said the forum remains committed to identifying and nurturing young talent across the country’s healthcare sector. She noted, “CODE-RED came out on top, but all three projects were strong. It’s inspiring to see young women using innovation to tackle serious health issues. HFN includes professionals across the healthcare value chain, and this initiative reflects the power of collaboration.

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