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New reach52 service launched with Novartis Social Business, Zuellig Pharma and MedExpress

We are delighted to announce the launch of a new reach52 medicine ordering and delivery service in the Philippines in partnership with Novartis Social Business, Zuellig Pharma and MedExpress. This service enables patients in rural Philippines to order a range of affordable medicines via reach52’s marketplace app and teams of community-based agents. The medicines are then delivered via reach52’s mobile-enabled logistics network directly into the patients’ villages, overcoming barriers of distance and affordability. The new service is powered by reach52’s health technology, which has previously won awards and recognition from the United Nations, Singtel, Facebook and Accenture.

In parallel with the launch of the digitally-enabled logistic solution for ordering and delivery, there is also a separate and independent team that continues to run health education and health camps for the rural populations.

Healthcare access and affordability remains a pressing challenge for many communities in the Philippines and across South East Asia. In the region, 62% of deaths are now due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which primary care systems are poorly positioned to address. Rural populations face challenges in accessing the medicines and services they need through traditional delivery and financing models.

The new service has been delivered through reach52 for business. This is our solution for private sector organisations (Pharmaceutical, MedTech and Diagnostics, and Insurance companies) to deliver their products and services at affordable prices to these previously inaccessible populations. We conduct analysis into communities’ needs, design pricing and access solutions, and deliver the affordable medicines and services through our mobile-enabled network. Community members are equipped as agents to run the marketplace and logistics sides of our operations.

As Ed Booty (reach52’s CEO) highlights “This is not just a stop gap solution. The combination of community empowerment, digital health and private-public partnership is establishing a truly sustainable model for communities, governments and private sector organisations.”

Deborah Gildea (Head of Novartis Social Business Asia) comments “Together with reach52 we pioneer new digital solutions to drive healthcare access in low- and middle-income countries in Asia. We are driven by the goal to deliver our portfolio of high, quality affordable medicines and health education programmes to hard-to-reach patient populations, building sustainable models through digital health and community-run services."

Maarten Kelder (SVP Strategy & Corporate Development at Zuellig) adds “reach52 brings together digital health, data analytics and community empowerment to make healthcare more accessible for emerging markets in Asia. We are looking forward to working closely with them on programmes to provide affordable and quality healthcare to rural areas in the Philippines.”