“I studied Pharmacy at the Obafemi Awolowo University and became a licensed pharmacist in 2012. I had the compulsory one-year internship program at the University College Hospital. It was interesting at the beginning but I got bored along the line, perhaps because it seemed a bit stereotypic: it was all about obtaining patients’ prescription, dispensing drugs and giving instructions as to use. I wanted to do more, have more direct impact. At that point, I knew Hospital pharmacy wasn’t my thing. I also knew my passion was for Community/Retail pharmacy but I didn’t venture out immediately.
After my NYSC, I worked with a Pharmacy here in Ibadan and the experience was fulfilling but also challenging too. I spent 10 hours in the pharmacy and I spent about 2hours on the road going to, and returning from work. For me, at the time, I was preparing myself for my venture into Community pharmacy; the job gave me the experience to prepare me for it. Community Pharmacy means a pharmacy practice that interfaces directly with people in their immediate environment. Eventually, I decided to start but I knew I had to start small. The product of that dream is Platinum Care Pharmacy.
Because a Community Pharmacy is always the first port of call for residents of an area; Platinum Care Pharmacy took on it the responsibility of attending to the health needs of the community where we’re situate in and its catchment areas. We offer the community we are in a wide range of health care services from drug dispensing, counseling, pharmaceutical care to providing drug information. We also give basic check to monitor blood pressure, blood glucose, malaria rapid test etc.
My parents supported my decision to delve into Community pharmacy wholly; but as it is with parents, they often think that having a government job, especially a Federal government job). Sometimes, some friends of parents would shrink when they hear that I am running a Community pharmacy. Then they will offer: “if getting a job, I can help you get one.” They don’t see the dream or understand the dream, for them they just conclude that it is not good enough for a pharmacist to run a community pharmacy. Starting out, I took out money I had saved from my internship year till when I worked in the pharmacy in Ibadan. If I had any financial support from my parents, maybe about 20% of support.
Running Platinum Care Pharmacy has been a learning process. Every day, we see different side of it, some we can leverage on, some we should downplay, others we should sustain. It might interest you to know that we started Platinum Care Pharmacy at a time when the economic recession came on strongly on the market. It was a time prices were increasing geometrically due to skyrocketing exchange rates. This was a time when you think you have so much money and you get to market only to discover your money can buy just a little. I remember the first time we were to go to market to stock the premise. We got to the market and realized that we couldn’t even afford half of our intended purchases. As if that was not enough, we shelf our products and it looked as if the products had been halved again; so small and scanty on the shelves.
A man came into the premises and made an interesting remark, he said, “you people now have things o, the last time I came here, I decided to stop coming because you didn’t always have what I needed.” The last time he had come by was the time when we were trying to find our feet and establish the business. I felt embarrassed by that remark even though he had gone on to commend us for how quickly we had grown in such a short time. He then concluded by saying: “I think I will be coming here now that I see you have all I need.” Since then, he has been a customer. By customer, I mean he patronizes us regularly. Remarks such as the man’s may sink me but I draw strength from it to because they evidence the growth we have undergone. These testimonies have kept me going.
Beyond these testimonies, I love what I do and that for me is the greatest motivation. Passion. The joy doing what I am doing keeps me going irrespective of challenges either from client, staff, suppliers etc. because this business involves human management. I have also met diverse kinds of people whom I have gained from and whom have been of immense benefit to me. Moreover, I feel fulfilled when my clients are satisfied, it gives me a kind of heads up.
A major business lesson I have learned from building and running Platinum Care Pharmacy is that running a business sometimes is not necessarily about the funds. It is a question of focus, transparency, accountability and absolute trust in God. These are the principles by which I operate and I believe anyone following these will have things falling into proper place in a matter of time.”
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