London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Can you share a bit about your education and career journeys so far?

Faithful: I studied Medicine and Surgery at the University of Calabar in Nigeria and have worked across general medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, and paediatrics. Seeing the gaps in Nigeria’s health system pushed me toward public health, and I joined LSHTM’s MSc Public Health to build the skills to address them.

Geneva: I grew up in the Philippines and the US. I initially considered medicine but discovered my interest in public health during my undergraduate degree in global health and international development. A grant to teach sexual and reproductive health in Sierra Leone strengthened my commitment to reproductive rights, leading me to LSHTM’s MSc in Reproductive and Sexual Health Research.

Could you tell us about your work with the First On Call Initiative?

Faithful: I co-founded First On Call in 2022 with colleagues in Nigeria to support grassroots health professionals in low- and middle-income countries. We focus on health financing, legislation, research, and practical interventions that improve service uptake. During my MSc, I’ve continued coordinating activities remotely, including fieldwork and research publications.

Geneva: I joined after meeting Faithful at LSHTM. I was first recommended for the sexual and reproductive health division, but I soon became involved in broader organisational development, particularly exploring grant opportunities to expand our work beyond Nigeria.

Earlier this year, you published a correspondence in The Lancet on violent deaths in Nigeria. What inspired it?

Faithful: Reports of daily killings and kidnappings coming out of Nigeria were becoming overwhelming. I discussed the issue with classmates, including Geneva, and we decided a commentary would allow us to respond quickly. Reliable data were sparse and scattered, so we collated figures from major news outlets and existing academic sources to estimate deaths in the first half of 2025.

Geneva: The whole process of research, writing and editing took around two months. The biggest challenge was meeting the tight word limit.

What advice would you give to others looking to strengthen their scientific writing?

Faithful: Start with a topic you genuinely care about and find an angle that offers your unique perspective. Inspiration often comes from media reports or seminar discussions, and collaboration with colleagues and classmates can enable you to learn new approaches to synthesising evidence. There are also many online resources, like guidelines, templates and tutorials.

Geneva: Read widely. I was recommended a general writing book, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, (not specific to scientific writing) that shaped how I approach clarity and conciseness. And don’t be afraid to submit your work, even if it doesn’t feel perfect—feedback is how you grow.

How was the commentary received?

Faithful: We were initially concerned that state actors might react negatively, but framing violent deaths as a public health issue led to a positive reception. Several Nigerian media outlets covered the piece. We emphasised how violence disrupts health systems; health workers are among those fleeing affected communities, interrupting essential services such as childhood vaccinations.

Looking ahead, what are your next steps?

Geneva: We recently submitted our MSc summer projects and are working toward publishing them. My project reviewed policy approaches to adolescent health. We’re also developing an app to support contraceptive care, which I’m keen to advance.

Faithful: We’re working on a prototype and gathering input from people with lived experience of accessing contraceptive services in different income settings. My summer project focused on evidence for seasonal malaria vaccination in sub-Saharan Africa, and I’m now exploring PhD opportunities.