The Rino Aldrighetti Leadership Award is the highest honor presented by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA). The award honors people who have shown outstanding leadership, commitment, and worldwide influence in raising PH awareness, supporting patients, and pushing forward treatment options.
Omitogun was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension in 2013 after a congenital heart defect, and over the nearly ten years since, she’s reshaped how cardiovascular health is approached across Africa. She founded Cardiac Community in 2018 — the first patient-run organization in Nigeria focused solely on pulmonary hypertension. Under her direction, the group has rolled out drug assistance programs for patients who can’t afford treatment, set up local peer support groups, and led high-profile awareness drives such as Lagos’s “Walk4PH,” aimed at reducing misdiagnosis.
“Receiving the 2026 Rino Aldrighetti Leadership Award is a testament to the resilience of our community,” Omitogun said. “Pulmonary hypertension remains a widely misunderstood and underfunded health crisis across Africa. This recognition from the Pulmonary Hypertension Association shines a global spotlight on our mission to provide affordable medications, better diagnostic infrastructure, and a voice for every pulmonary hypertension patient on the continent.”
Named for Rino Aldrighetti, the Pulmonary Hypertension Association’s first employee and onetime president, the award also comes with a $10,000 prize, which Omitogun intends to put toward expanding local patient aid programs and improving diagnostic access throughout Nigeria and West Africa.
About the Cardiac Community
Founded in 2018 by Ayotunde Omitogun, the Cardiac Community Advocacy and Support Initiative is a Lagos-based non-profit organization. It is dedicated to improving the lives of people living with pulmonary hypertension and related cardiovascular conditions through advocacy, drug aid, and public education.
Website: https://www.cardiaccommunity.org
We are very honoured that Ayotunde has taken part in one of our webinars and in a pep talk!
