Healthcare heroes in spotlight as Dove Awards 2025 voting enters final phase

By Chioma Obinna

With just two weeks left before voting closes, the Dove Healthcare Awards 2025 is entering its final stage. Scheduled for December 5 at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, the third edition of the awards will recognise individuals and institutions for their contributions to healthcare in Nigeria.
Organised by the Dove Healthcare Foundation, the event is themed “Celebrating Excellence and Innovation in Healthcare.” Public voting closes on October 17, and both healthcare professionals and the general public are invited to participate.
Project Coordinator, Dr. Bola Otegbayo, described the initiative as a platform for recognising healthcare professionals who often work without public acknowledgment. “Every vote is a voice in support of healthcare excellence in Nigeria,” she said.
Founded in 2017, the Dove Healthcare Foundation has honoured a wide range of contributors to Nigeria’s health system, including professionals in medicine, public health, hospital administration, and pharmaceutical development.
Past recipients include Emeritus Professor Ayodele Falase, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan and a pioneer in cardiology, and Professor Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. Institutions such as Fidson Healthcare, UCH Ibadan, and Caroline Medical Centre Abuja have also been recognised.
“Being recognised by the Dove Awards validates years of hard work and dedication to improving patient outcomes,” said Professor Otegbayo.
The awards cover various categories, including pharmaceutical innovation, hospital management, eye care, dialysis, fertility treatment, and government healthcare programmes. In 2024, Fidson Healthcare was named Most Outstanding Pharmaceutical Company, while St. Ives Specialist Hospital in Lagos received the Most Outstanding Fertility Hospital award. The Delta State Contributory Health Commission was recognised for its role in expanding access to healthcare through insurance schemes.
Cynard Eye in Port Harcourt was named Most Outstanding Eye Care Service Provider, and Caroline Medical Centre Abuja received recognition as the Most Outstanding Dialysis Centre.
The awards have also included international recipients. In 2024, Ebury Court Care Services in the United Kingdom received the Most Outstanding Healthcare Team of the Year award. Managing Director, Mrs. Rachael Abe, was present in Lagos to receive the honour.
“This shows that excellence in healthcare knows no borders,” Abe said.
NIPRO Medical Europe, manufacturer of NIPRO Dialysis Machines, was also recognised as the Most Outstanding Dialysis Equipment Manufacturer of the Year. The award, initially received by the Nigerian team, was formally presented at the company’s headquarters in Mechelen, Belgium, with Dr. Otegbayo in attendance.
Voting is open to the public, with organisers encouraging Nigerians to participate before the October 17 deadline through the official website. “We want this to be the people’s award – a reflection of appreciation for those who keep us healthy, often behind the scenes,” said Dr. Otegbayo.
“This platform not only celebrates achievement but also inspires a higher standard of care and commitment in the Nigerian health sector,” a spokesperson for the foundation said.

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