Angela Onwuzoo In a move to improve access to drugs, digital financial institution, MoniePoint Inc. says it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions. The microfinance bank said it had also provided loans for the pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria to drive healthcare access in the country.
The financial institution in its latest case study titled,” Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria. The study released at the ACPN headquarters in Lagos recently examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access. Reacting to the study, ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekanma, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekanma, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said were hindering access to affordable medicines. The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector. He stressed the need for robust collaborative effo.