Several years ago, unscrupulous business people were making huge profits from taking the lives of thousands of Nigerians, both young and old. How? Through the sale of fake drugs.
There were many stories of people who bought drugs, even from registered health facilities, and died after taking them. This activity compelled the government to form NAFDAC, and we can all agree that the killer-trend has been curbed to a large degree.
However, moving away from the activities of NAFDAC, some individuals in the tech sector have also been instrumental in the fight against fake and counterfeit drugs. One of them is Vivian Nwakah, the founder of MEDSAF.
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MEDSAF is an online pharmacy that provides both individuals and health-care facilities such as pharmacies and hospitals, easy, cost-effective medications through its technology platform.
Nwakah was born and raised in Chicago, USA where she started a chain of home-care agencies. She entered the Global Partners Program, studying business in several academic institutions in Brazil, France and the USA. As part of the program, she moved to Nigeria in 2013.
Her first business venture in Nigeria was in renewable energy. She turned her sights to the healthcare sector when her friend died after ingesting fake malaria drugs. This tragic event, coupled with similar stories all around the country motivated her to found MEDSAF in 2016.
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She is a passionate, serial entrepreneur who has brought innovative approaches to technology in healthcare, pharmaceutical and energy sectors.
She has won several awards for being a top sales-leader and has also been recognized by several reputable organzations such as Forbes, the British Royal Family, Seedstars and Women in Africa, for being a high-impact female entrepreneur.
Her business vision is to create a better, safer healthcare system, in not just Nigeria, but in other West African countries.
