The visionary founder of Health Emergency Initiative, HEI, Paschal Achunine has been elected as an Ashoka Fellow—a prestigious global organization that identifies and supports social entrepreneurs whose innovations drive systemic change.
This recognition highlights Paschal’s groundbreaking work in transforming Nigeria’s emergency healthcare system.
Through HEI, Paschal has revolutionized the delivery of prehospital and emergency care, empowering ordinary citizens such as truck drivers, artisans, and market women to act as trained first responders in emergencies. By addressing post-crash care and removing financial barriers for accident victims and indigent patients, HEI is making life-saving interventions more accessible and effective.
To date, HEI’s remarkable impact includes:
• Providing medical interventions/financial aid for 13,800 indigent patients, including children.
• Training 120,000 first responders.
• Delivering post-crash care to 3,760 accident victims.
• Partnering with the US Consulate General in Lagos State to equip young Nigerians with critical prehospital emergency skills.
Paschal’s innovative approach integrates behavioral change, technology, and media campaigns to create widespread awareness about timely first aid and cross-sectoral emergency response systems.
His leadership ensures that HEI remains at the forefront of driving systemic change in healthcare, with a mission to protect human life and enable individuals to regain independence after emergencies.
This recognition by Ashoka affirms Paschal’s efforts and the potential of HEI to inspire transformative solutions both nationally and globally.
