Dr Charles Immanuel Akhimien - Journey To Entrepreneurship
Josephine Adebimpe@Josephine
7 years ago
While Dr. Charles Immanuel Akhimien was undergoing his medical internship program, a 29-year old first time mother was brought to the hospital with her infant looking pale. The child had been stooling and vomiting and the mother was managing the situation for days, partly because she thought it was nothing serious, and partly because she could not afford a hospital. When the symptoms persisted, the child was brought to the hospital, but unfortunately, it was too late. The child died hours after he was admitted. Every day, thousands of women and children die as a result of pregnancy, childbirth, and early childhood diseases that would have been averted if mothers are armed with access to relevant information no matter where they are. The University of Benin graduate discussed with his friend and classmate at the time, Dr. Emmanuel Owobu and they started making plans to set up a mobile health (mHealth) company that would address Nigeria’s most pressing health issues, particularly regarding maternal and child health.They came up with the idea called @omomi_ng. OMOMi (meaning 'my child') is a mobile platform consisting of a mobile app, web app and SMS service, that enables mothers to easily monitor their children's health, as well as provides access to life-saving maternal and child health information plus medical expertise, all at the touch of a button. OMOMi has already saved the lives of thousands of mothers and their children across Nigeria, with over 18,000 mothers using the platform.Q. What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?A. Choose a co-founder that improves you as a person and adds value to the business. Do not pick a partner merely because of he/she can get you funding.Q. What advice do you have for entrepreneurs when facing adversity?A. Don’t believe the hype! A lot of times people will tell you (as an entrepreneur) how much good you’re doing and how much of a ‘rock star’ you are. While it is important to recognize that the work an entrepreneur does is great, it is even more important for entrepreneurs to stay grounded and keep their feet firmly on the ground. Keep working and keep going!#omomiapp #business #entrepreneurship