In Africa, street pharmacies play a vital role in helping people access drugs. However, there are two types; the licensed and the unlicensed. The unlicensed pharmacies belong to regular businesspeople, but both serve as a bridge between giant pharmaceuticals and communities. Many Africans who cannot afford to pay hospital bills or buy doctor-prescribed drugs from hospitals or licensed pharmacies patronise unlicensed street pharmacies. Field Intelligence (FI) is working to change this narrative with Shelf Life. The Pharmtech startup makes the pharmaceutical supply chain radically simple, affordable, and effective. Through Shelf Life, FI creates jobs for pharmacists, ensures the availability of drugs, reduces costs, and empowers pharmacies to grow by improving access to authentic medicines. The distribution of fake and expired drugs is a problem in sub-Saharan Africa. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, counterfeit antimalarial drugs could be responsible for up to the annual 270,000 additional deaths in the region. More than 30 per cent of medicines sold are substandard or falsified medical products.
SOURCE: VENTURES AFRICA