Every year, millions of lives are lost to illnesses across Africa—not because their conditions were untreatable, but because help didn’t arrive in time. Folake Owodunni and Maame Poku grew tired of hearing stories like this. In 2021, they founded Emergency Response Africa (ERA) to provide emergency medical care across the continent.
Many African nations fall at the lower end of the spectrum on The 2021 Global Health Security (GHS) Index, which measures countries’ capabilities to handle medical emergencies from 0 to 100. In comparison, the United States scored 75.9, while other top-scoring countries included Australia, Finland, Canada, and Thailand. This gap in emergency preparedness has devastating consequences as every year, preventable deaths become all too common.
In Africa, for instance, 6.2 million people die each year from conditions that could be treated with an effective emergency medical response. These are not mere statistics; they are people whose lives could have been saved if the right structures were implemented.
“We all deserve to live in a world where help is available whenever and wherever you need it. ERA is making this a reality.”-Folake Owodunni, Co-Founder & CEO
Living abroad in 2017, Folake Owodunni woke up in the middle of the night to find her one-year-old son crying in pain. Terrified, she called 911, and paramedics were at her door within minutes. They provided immediate care, and within an hour, her son was peacefully asleep again. This was a relief, but it got her thinking of what would have happened if she was back home in Nigeria, where emergency medical services didn’t exist.
Not long after, Owodunni met Maame Poku, who shared her tragic story. Maame had lost a family member in Ghana because help didn’t arrive in time. That loss stayed with her, and when the duo connected, they shared frustration with the state of emergency care in Africa.
In 2021, they co-founded Emergency Response Africa (ERA) to ensure that no one has to die due to delayed help. ERA is now transforming emergency care, beginning in Lagos State, Nigeria. They connect patients to the largest network of first responders, ambulances, and hospitals, enabling assistance to reach individuals within minutes of a call.
Founding Emergency Response Africa (ERA)
Emergency Response Africa is a healthcare technology company that is changing how medical emergencies are handled across the continent. They’ve built the largest network of First Responders, ambulances, and emergency-ready hospitals to make it possible for people to get life-saving help early.
“When my colleague collapsed and went into a seizure during a meeting, we had no idea what to do. Luckily, I had heard about ERA, so I quickly called. They came in just a few minutes, revived her, and immediately took her to hospital.” Says a beneficiary.
When ERA’s 24/7 command centre is contacted during an emergency, they notify the closest First Responder through their app, and a qualified team arrives at the scene within minutes. These responders are highly trained, fully equipped, and ready to stabilise patients, treat them on the spot, or arrange transport to one of their partner hospitals for more advanced care.
Since its launch, Emergency Response Africa has attended to 106 incidents annually, saving over 1,000 lives with a network of 250 hospital partners and 82 emergency vehicles.
