For the next installment of the Future's Hub Series, we speak with Oby, a MPhil student at the University and student at Lucy Cavendish College, where she tells us about her start-up, Dimma Health.
Oby's academic journey began with a background in biochemistry and medicine, which provided her with a strong background in understanding health from a scientific and practical perspective. After completing her foundation training in a hospital and specializing in public health, Oby is currently pursuing a Master’s in Population Health Sciences at Cambridge. This course allowed her to explore the broader scope of public health, including finance and behavioural change.
Dimma Health emerged from Oby's wish to address non-communicable diseases (NCDs), a significant health burden in Nigeria. NCDs like high blood pressure are leading causes of death and disability in the country, exacerbated by poor awareness and limited access to healthcare services, particularly in rural areas. Oby identified this gap while participating in the Lucy Enterprise Challenge, where she proposed a dual-phase solution to combat high blood pressure in Southeast Nigeria.
The first phase of her initiative focused on direct community engagement. Oby organized outreach programs in rural towns, where volunteers, including medical professionals, provided free blood pressure screenings at local gathering spots like town halls. Those identified with high blood pressure were given immediate treatment and invited to monthly community sessions to discuss lifestyle changes and medication management. This hands-on approach not only helped manage existing conditions but also raised awareness about hypertension in the town she was based in.
Building on the success of these outreach efforts, the second phase of Dimma Health's strategy involves technological innovation. Oby is currently working on a mobile app integrated with blood pressure cuffs located in easily accessible places, such as pharmacies or churches. This system would allow individuals to regularly check their blood pressure and securely upload the data to the app for monitoring purposes.
Currently, Dimma Health is in the prototype stage, seeking software developers and testing the initial product with community groups. Despite the challenges of balancing her academic commitments and startup development, Oby remains driven by her passion for public health and her belief in the potential of innovation to improve lives. Her project stood out at the Lucy Enterprise Challenge, not only for its focus on healthcare but also for its potential to scale and adapt to other regions and health issues.
As she looks to the future, Oby plans to expand Dimma Health's services across Nigeria, using the lessons learned from initial deployments to enhance and adapt the technology for broader use. Her vision is clear: a Nigeria where everyone has the knowledge and tools to prevent and manage health conditions effectively, thereby reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases across the country.