Medplus, a 30 years old indigenous pharmaceutical firm has set aside $30,000 as grant to empower a female entrepreneur in health-related business, the firm’s founder and CEO, Joke Bakare has said.
She said the grant which will be a mixture of cash, products, assistance to distribution and access to partners is more than just financial support, it is a lifeline to dreams, aspirations and the economic empowerment of women.
“In a nation where female entrepreneurs face unique challenges, Medplus is extending a hand to lift them higher, giving them the tools and resources they need to thrive”, Bakare told BusinessDay at the kick off of her company’s 30 years anniversary recently in Lagos.
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Recognizing that distribution and access to market are part of the challenges most SMEs face, she believed that the expected partnership between a well-established business and budding entrepreneur will empower female owned brands to scale.
On who qualifies for the grant, she explained that the candidate must be between 22 and 45 years and must have run her business for at least 2 years. She said the candidate must be in health and beauty, skin care or any other related business. According to her, panel of judges will determine the winner from application to be received.
Assessing the importance of health sector in an economy like Nigeria, the Medplus CEO who has about 900 employees called on the government to subsidise the sector for more effectiveness. “There is need for government to look inwards and prioritise the need for the healthcare to have access to forex at CBN rate to enable the sector to be competitive and for people to afford the medicines we provide”, she said.
The pharmacist also suggested that government can also use big pharmacies as primary health centers to deliver healthcare to Nigerians.
“Government should also support and encourage SMEs by creating a special tax bracket for them or some sort of incentive to succeed. Though I believe that we should not wait for government for everything but those tax weavers or incentive is important now that the environment is harsher, she said.
As part of Medplus 30 years celebration, she said that the company is set to embark on a journey of community outreaches of over 30 locations nationwide, tagged, ‘Delivering Wellness.’ “This initiative reflects the company’s deep-rooted belief that the wellbeing of a community is inextricably linked to the success of its businesses”
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The pharmaceutical firm is also organizing a conference and exhibition slated for November 9th, which will feature a lineup of distinguished speakers, including Seth Godin, Ibukun Awosika, Kofo Akinkugbe, and Iyin Aboyeji.
On pillars of her success, she attributed it to resilience, quality of service and focus.
