Generika aims to bring quality health care to the masses

MANILA, Philippines - A fast growing drugstore chain with branches sprouting in various parts of the country has embarked on a partnership with a state-owned university as part of its goal to bring quality health care closer to the public.

Generika has signed a memorandum of agreement with the University of the Philippines-Manila College of Pharmacy to advocate clinical care in different communities in the country.

The practice is prevalent in the United States, Canada, Europe and other parts of Asia, says Erikagen, Inc., the company behind Generika.

As such, Generika has commissioned the UP-Manila College of Pharmacy to create training modules.

Under the agreement, the program – which would be tailor-made for Generika, will consist of lecture, tools and practical exercises in unit dose drug dispensing and patient counseling services.

These steps are in line with Generika’s objective to provide improved clinical and ambulatory services to various hospitals.

The pilot program will be offered at St. Cabrini Medical Center (SCMC) in Santo Tomas, Batangas, where Generika operates the in-patient pharmacy for the hospital.

According to Erikagen, the hospital is the first institute to offer integrative cancer care and the first to be accredited as a medical tourism developer in the country.

The training program is expected to upgrade the standards of clinical pharmacy services provided by Generika to SCMC.

With this initiative, Generika hopes to encourage other drugstores nationwide to improve pharmacy practices in the different communities.

Aside from its tie-up with the UP-Manila College of Pharmacy, Generika also announced that it is opening up more areas in Metro Manila and Luzon, as well as in Visayas and Mindanao for franchising.

“For an overall initial investment of around P1.2-million, which already includes the P150,000 franchise fee, budding entrepreneurs can have their own business minus the trial and error of most start-ups,” Erikagen says.

Target areas for franchise are Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte.

The company is also expanding in Cebu, and in other areas in Visayas and Mindanao.

In encouraging investors, Erikagen said all Generika drugstore outlets are air-conditioned as studies show that heat and humidity can degrade a drug’s efficacy.

“Thus Generika’s air-con stores have been primarily designed to ensure the therapeutic value of medicines, while at the same time offering customer comfort and convenience through its more attractive premises,” Erikagen said.

Furthermore, Generika outlets have licensed pharmacists who can provide patient counseling to customers.

“Professional staff also offer value-added services such as free blood pressure monitoring, affordable blood sugar testing, and other community outreach programs,” the company also said.