HealthPlus, Nigeria’s first integrative pharmacy, has launched West Africa’s first-ever ePharmacy and digital prescription platform.
The technology-powered platform will enable Nigerians located anywhere in the country and indeed anywhere in the world to get prescriptions from a certified pharmacist and have the pharmaceuticals delivered promptly to them.
According to the company, this game-changing application will facilitate interactions between patients (customers) and health-service providers nationwide, thereby marking a big step in the democratization of healthcare services in Nigeria and providing unprecedented healthcare access for Nigerians in all geographical locations.
The owners attributed the launch of the HealthPlus ePharmacy to a rise in the number of internet consumers, increased access to web-based and online services, and the rising implementation of e-prescriptions in hospitals and other healthcare services.
With the launch of the platform, HealthPlus is now able to connect more Nigerians to qualified pharmacists and fast track the provision of efficient health care.
The company’s Chief Transformational Officer (CTO) Mr. Chidi Okoro remarked at the launch of the service: “Pharmacists are the first point of care for many Nigerians and are critical to ensure access to essential drugs.
“The HealthPlus ePharmacy platform is following the mission to enhance access to wholesome medicines and good pharmacy care services. Customers can now access professional pharmacists online from the comfort of their homes using mobile devices”, he added.
Okoro pledged that “HealthPlus will help bridge this gap. Furthermore Nigeria has one of the lowest productivity rates in the world. This is due to absenteeism and inadequate health care. If more Nigerians have access to health and we take a more proactive approach, productivity will increase significantly.
“In keeping with its commitment to raise the standard of care, provide safe access to wholesome medications and reduce wait times, HealthPlus is utilizing the latest technology to consolidate the compendium of care and expand our vision to our customers’ mobile devices.
The CFO HealthPlus Limited, Ernest Eguasa, said: “This is a very exciting offering that combines technology and the capabilities of fast-growing sector dynamics of Healthcare and eCommerce in synergy to deliver high-quality customer-centric customer patient care. It gives our customers a channel to conveniently get a wide array of their medical needs with the added benefit of One-on-One pharmaceutical consulting through our bespoke “Chat with a Pharmacist” functionality that ensures patients are getting exactly what they require for their optimum health.”
Commenting on the initiative, Managing Partner & CEO Alta Semper and HealthPlus’s private equity partner, Afsane Jetha, said: “Healthcare in Africa is at an inflection point and has proven its ability to leapfrog traditional business models; it is becoming more consumer-focused and precision-driven. With this technology and platform, we are increasingly focused on preventative care and patients’ well-being, in providing access at their fingertips and the last mile.”
Similarly, Managing Director at Alta Semper, Zachary Fond, enthused: “HealthPlus is at the forefront of being able to respond to this industry evolution, given the strength of the Company’s brand and its growing footprint nationally, we plan to dedicate further efforts to transformative initiatives aimed at integrating end-to-end healthcare services for our customers.”
Nigeria is also severely under served in the aspect of pharmacy stores locations. Only 25 per cent of Nigeria’s local governments have any sort of pharmacy. That means, 70 per cent of Nigeria’s local government areas have no access to a pharmacist.
HealthPlus’s commitment to superior quality at reasonable cost maintains the company’s vision to be West Africa’s most trusted healthcare retail brand.
