Feel the Pulse: Real Stories, Real Innovation

Feel the Pulse; a monthly publication by SIDFS, brings you the heartfelt stories of real people and their innovative journeys. Dive into inspiring tales of individuals and institutions making a difference in their communities through creativity and product development. Explore how they navigate challenges and drive progress with their ground-breaking ideas.

Iyewo Clinic, located in the heart of Apongbon Market in Lagos, is revolutionising healthcare for theundeserved in its local community. The inspiration behind Iyewo Clinic comes from a deeply personal experience of its founder, Dr Folake Kofo-Idowu. When her mother fell seriously ill, accessing and funding medical care became a painful and stressful ordeal for the family. Though her mother eventually recovered, she passed away later, leaving Dr Folake reflecting on the dire need for better healthcare support systems in their community.

Determined to make a difference, Dr Kofo-Idowu established Iyewo Clinic with a mission to
ensure that community members, who strive daily to support their families, do not suffer the same hardships. Acknowledging the cultural reluctance in Africa to admit illness, Iyewo Clinic faced the challenge of convincing people to engage with their healthcare products, particularly their health savings wallets.

Dr Kofo-Idowu approached this by educating the community about the financial implications of illness. She explained that sickness not only leads to medical expenses but also results in lost income from not being able to work. By creating health savings wallets, she provided a solution where individuals could save for their healthcare needs. This way, even if they could not work due to illness, they could draw from their savings, mitigating the financial strain.

This innovative solution showcases Dr. Kofo-Idowu’s deep care and understanding of her
community’s needs. Additionally, Iyewo Clinic employs community health practitioners who are
themselves members of the community. This “for us, by us” approach has been instrumental in
building trust and loyalty among the locals, a rare and valuable commodity in undeserved markets.

Iyewo Clinic’s success is a testament to the importance of trust and community engagement in
healthcare innovation. By offering a health tech solution and digital service that aligns with the
community’s needs and cultural context, Iyewo Clinic is not only providing medical care but also fostering financial resilience and stability. Their model of combining assisted medical care with financial solutions is indeed healing the land, one patient at a time.