Morenikeji Rachel Haruna

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT MORENIKEJI RACHEL HARUNA

From Clinical Care to Community Health | Pharmacist turned Public Health PromoterWith a strong foundation in Pharmacy and a Master’s in Public Health Promotion, I have transitioned from the dispensary to the wider community, shifting my focus from treatment to prevention.Throughout my pharmacy career, I developed a deep appreciation for the social, behavioural, and systemic factors that influence people’s health, particularly how lifestyle changes and social determinants of health impact health in individuals, families, communities, and nations. An AHA moment that inspired me was built on a series of interactions with my patients while working in the community pharmacy sector in Nigeria, where selling is a huge deal. From my first internship role, I knew I wanted to be involved in the health sector, but I also knew something was missing, This \'something\' was unraveled at my last role as a pharmacist, where I realized I expended more time educating walk-in patients on prevention and lifestyle than I spent on giving them OTC medications to cure their symptoms. This curiosity led me to pursue a recalibration in my career. I started small, with taking nutrition and health and lifestyle courses online, and went \'big\' with a pursuit of a Master\'s in Public Health Promotion Degree from Anglia Ruskin University, UK where I explored health education, behavior change, and health inequalities on a deeper level.Now, I’m passionate about designing and delivering impactful health promotion initiatives that empower individuals and communities to live healthier, more informed lives. Whether it\'s through public health campaigns, community outreach, or digital education, my goal is to bridge the gap between clinical care and real-world public health impact. In bridging this gap, I have a bias toward the younger population- our children and adolescents. The overarching question that encapsulates my thoughts about them is this:In the face of unhealthy lifestyle choices and a stark contrast in health inequalities across the world, what are the odds of our children living a healthy life that surpasses what we have now and what solutions can we create to help them live this lifestyle from now on?Most of what I do, build or speak about and will speak about will center around answering this question. If you\'re working on or passionate about building healthier communities through education, prevention, and empowerment. I am currently located in the city of Peterborough, UK and I am open to collaborative projects, public health roles, and advocacy work.