How We’re Making Medicines Easier to Access in Northern Nigeria
If you’ve ever skipped a dose because your local pharmacy didn’t have the medicine in stock, or had to travel long distances just to refill a prescription, you know how frustrating it can be. In many communities across Northern Nigeria, this is everyday life.
At Getwell, we believe that everyone, no matter where they live, should be able to get the medicines they need without stress or delays. That’s why we’re building a digital health platform that connects patients directly to trusted pharmacies and healthcare providers, right from their phones.
The Problem We’re Solving
- In rural and semi‑urban areas, three big challenges stand in the way of good medicine access:
Stockouts at local pharmacies, especially for essential and chronic‑disease medicines
Poor communication between patients, clinics, and pharmacies, leading to missed refills
Long travel times and costs for people who need to visit multiple outlets to find what they need
These aren’t just inconveniences; they can lead to worsening health conditions, especially for people managing diabetes, hypertension, or childhood illnesses. We’ve seen clinics where patients return days later, still without their prescriptions, simply because the medicine wasn’t available when they went.
Our Solution: A Simple, Patient‑First Platform
Getwell is designed with the patient at the centre. Here’s how it works:
Real‑time medicine availability – Patients can check which pharmacies in their area have the medicine they need, before they leave home.
Integrated reminders – The app sends timely reminders for refills and appointments, reducing missed doses.
Secure teleconsultation – Users can talk to a healthcare provider, get a prescription, and have it fulfilled at a nearby pharmacy, all in one place.
Affordability options – We’re partnering with clinics, NGOs, and suppliers to offer discounted or bundled prices for common medicines.
Importantly, we’re not trying to replace existing pharmacies or clinics. Instead, we’re strengthening them by giving them better tools to serve patients and manage stock more efficiently.
Why This Matters for Community Health
When people can access medicines reliably, they’re more likely to stick to treatment, which improves health outcomes. For families, it reduces the financial burden of unnecessary trips and out‑of‑stock medicines. For clinics and pharmacies, it increases trust and repeat visits.
We’ve already piloted this model in a few communities, and the feedback has been encouraging: patients report saving time and money, while pharmacy partners see higher prescription fulfillment rates. But we know there’s still a long way to go.
What’s Next for Getwell
Right now, we’re focused on:
Expanding to more communities in Northern Nigeria
Deepening partnerships with local pharmacies and health providers
Integrating with community‑based health workers and insurance schemes
Collecting data to measure impact on adherence, stockouts, and patient satisfaction
We’re also working with fellows and innovators across Africa and Europe to learn from similar models and adapt them to our context.
How You Can Support
If you’re passionate about healthcare access, there are several ways you can help:
Spread the word – Share Getwell’s story with clinics, pharmacies, or networks that care about primary healthcare.
Collaborate – If you run a health initiative, pharmacy, or supply chain, we’d love to explore how we can work together.
Advocate – Talk about the importance of affordable, reliable medicine access in policy and community conversations.
Together, we can build a future where no one misses a dose just because they can’t find their medicine.
