In the heart of Lagos’ bustling markets, where traders often work from dawn until dusk, one doctor is changing how healthcare is delivered.
Dr. Yetunde Ayo-Oyalowo, a health entrepreneur, has taken medicine directly to those who rarely have time to visit a clinic. Through her initiative, Market Doctors, she sets up mobile medical stations inside local markets, offering consultations, health screenings, and minor treatments at affordable rates.
The project, launched in 2017, has reached more than 400,000 patients across Nigeria. Ayo-Oyalowo said she was inspired by her experiences in the healthcare sector, where she witnessed patients discharge themselves against medical advice due to an inability to afford care or lack of access to primary health services.
“People got to that point because they didn’t have access to primary healthcare,” she said. “Market Doctors is a result of that gap.”
Ayo-Oyalowo’s initiative employs 17 staff and relies on hundreds of volunteers. Funding comes in part from private and corporate donations.
“There’s a hidden cost of healthcare transportation, missing work, and long hospital queues,” she said. “By bringing healthcare to people in their natural habitat, we’ve cut out those costs so they can add healthcare to their shopping bags.”
Her work addresses a critical need in Nigeria, where the World Health Organization recommends 10 doctors per 10,000 people. The country currently has just four.