Our Story
About the Founder – Dr Victoria Adepoju
Dr Victoria Adepoju is a medical doctor, a social worker and a medical data enthusiast. She is the founder of the African Development and Empowerment Foundation and Gift Clinics, Hospitals and Medical Services.
She is a passionate young lady with over 15 years of experience in healthcare delivery and advocacy, first as a community health worker and now as a medical doctor. She completed her Bachelor of Medicine And Surgery at Obafemi Awolowo University and graduated from the University of Wolverhampton, UK, where she studied Masters in Social Work.
She leads the team at the African Development and Empowerment Foundation where she is accountable for the entire project scope, resources, and the success or failure of our various interventions which are deploying various strategies to combat the drastically high maternal and neonatal mortality in Nigeria.
She is also the founder of Gift Clinics, Hospitals and Medical Services where they support young mothers with beautiful pregnancy experiences and safe deliveries. Over the last 4 years, they have delivered over 300 babies in our facilities and supported more than 3000 newborns and their families in the communities through our referral system.
Weekly, the clinic has success stories. Every week, they save mothers and their newborns at the grassroots where there is no doctor nor laboratory or ultrasound diagnostic services. The Clinic enables early detection of danger signs in pregnancy, and we refer such pregnant women to the hospital for specialist care or emergency obstetrics care where necessary.
An ultrasound scan alone can assist and guide health workers to make informed decisions regarding intervention or prompt referral to safeguard the lives of the pregnant woman and her child (or children). Without these services, health professionals struggle with patients in decision-making and run into distress, near death and significant losses.
African Development and Empowerment Foundation is training health workers and providing diagnostic services at Primary Health Care Centers to change the narrative and ensure good pregnancy outcomes. Their significant achievements are when they successfully save a pregnant woman or the newborn from avoidable deaths or whenever they train birth attendants on identifying danger signs in pregnancy.
I almost lost my baby – Dr Victoria Adepoju
I have always been an advocate for maternal health because of my exposure to primary health care about 15 years ago. However, my near-death experience during pregnancy, even as a young medical doctor in Nigeria, made me realise the plight of an average pregnant woman in the country. In the advent of complications in pregnancy, I had a premature delivery and I almost lost my baby.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than two-thirds (69%) of maternal deaths occur in the African Region and the major complications, which account for almost 75% of all maternal deaths, are severe haemorrhage, infection, high blood pressure during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia), complications during childbirth and unsafe abortion. I was one of the millions of victims of high blood pressure in pregnancy, and I almost lost my baby because I was delivered prematurely.
As a medical doctor, my unique insight in managing pregnancy stems from my extensive medical training and expertise. Unlike other birth attendants or delivery centers, I possess a deep understanding of the physiological changes and potential complications that can arise during pregnancy. My medical background equips me with the knowledge to manage various obstetric conditions, ensuring the health and safety of both the mother and the baby. Additionally, my ability to interpret medical tests and intervene, when necessary, allows for timely interventions that can significantly impact the outcome of pregnancy and delivery.
Moreover, I am lively and relatable. My skills in community interactions and advocacy have significantly impacted our work. As of the time of review earlier this year, we have saved over 3338 pregnant women and 3326 neonates at the point of delivery. We have trained 5584 Nigerian community birth attendants and 3447 primary healthcare workers. The number keeps increasing. Therefore, my role and uniqueness as a medical doctor bring a level of clinical understanding required for creating appealing healthcare interventions.