Mariam Balogun of LifeFund Support Initiative is Our #BellaNaijaWCW this Week!

While working at a tertiary hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, our #BellaNaijaWCW this week Mariam Balogun, identified the burden of inadequate funding of the Nigerian healthcare sector which consequently leads to poverty as a result of huge out-of-pocket medical expenses of an average patient.

She decided to do something about it. Mariam, in 2018, founded LifeFund Support Initiative to cater to underserved patients and communities by providing access to quality and affordable healthcare. The organisation’s vision is to help create a nation where cost is not an hindrance to quality healthcare for everyone.

Every month, LifeFund embarks on hospital visits to underprivileged patients on admission in selected hospitals and cater to their healthcare and other essential needs.

LifeFund’s work also involves raising awareness on the importance of health insurance as well as advocating for robust and adequate healthcare financing policy and its efficient implementation.

Mariam is currently a Pharmaceutical Officer at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and is a LEAP Africa Social Innovators Programme fellow (2019/20). She holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Lagos as well as certificates in healthcare funding and management.

We celebrate Mariam for providing healthcare financing support to Nigerian citizens and we’re rooting for her!