Pharmacy has satisfied my passion for helping others’-Adetutu Afolabi

It is natural to fall ill, but what is important and overriding is to get treatment for the illness. For many in Nigeria however, access to quality healthcare remains a problem. This is where an organization like Wellness Healthcare Group comes in. The group with its flagship, Wellness HMO has been leading the charge to make healthcare accessible to all, offering comprehensive services at various levels to meet the diverse needs of communities. Its goal is simple yet ambitious: to become a household name synonymous with quality, accessible and holistic healthcare.

Behind this top-notch and highly customer-centric organization is a quiet and unobtrusive, but result-oriented and workaholic professional, Pharmacist Adetutu Afolabi. A woman of diligence and great compassion, Pharm Afolabi studied Pharmacy at Olabisi Onabanjo University. However, though she had been deeply committed to caring for those around her and ensuring their well-being from a young age, it is interesting to know that it was her father that ultimately convinced her to go for a career in the medical sciences.

Said she, “Life guides us towards unexpected paths often revealing new opportunities where we least expect them. My educational journey is a testament to the twists and turns that can lead to unexpected blessings. As a young student, my heart was set on medicine, mainly due to my father’s belief in my natural ability to care for others. However, as fate would have it, my path took a different turn. Before my JAMB results were announced, I enrolled in a polytechnic programme to study accountancy. I thrived in this field, quickly passing several professional courses under the Accounting Technician Scheme. I found satisfaction in numbers and finance believing it to be my destined career path”.

Looking back, she is grateful for her father’s wisdom and guidance because pharmacy has satisfied her passion for helping others and allowed her to blend her analytical skills with the desire to make a difference in people’s lives. According to her, it was a decision that has blessed her in countless ways transforming a path she never intended to take in a lifelong calling.

Born to successful entrepreneur parents who taught her the values of diligence, dedication and honesty; values which have been the guiding principles of her life till today, Afolabi began her career after the mandatory National Youth Service Corps at Raola Pharmacy. There, she worked as a superintendent pharmacist before moving over to GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals where she spent four years as a Business Development Executive. During her time there, she honed her skills in sales and marketing and developed a keen interest in agile processes which she sees as essential for operational effectiveness and efficiency.

The experiences garnered from these two firms, GlaxoSmithKline especially, were what paved the way for her entrepreneurial journey. “Accountability, dedication and goal achievement became my second nature as an employee. Working alongside exceptional managers, I was encouraged to grow personally and professionally’’.

‘‘Work can often feel like a high-stakes competition. However, my experience was quite the opposite, thanks to the camaraderie bosses at GlaxoSmithKline. We were a close-knit team, free of unhealthy competition and genuinely cared for one another, which made work not just a job but a joy. Our relationships transcended professional boundaries and our respect for each other was the foundation of our success. At GlaxoSmithKline, I marketed antidepressants and became known for my knowledge of depression and psychosomatic ailments. I recall a doctor once asking if I was a psychiatric pharmacist, impressed by the depth of my understanding. This acknowledgement validated my efforts and fueled my passion for making a difference in patients’ lives through informed and compassionate care,” she stated.

No wonder her company Wellness HMO, a health insurance organization is committed to providing comprehensive health for its enrollees and strives to make healthcare more affordable and accessible ensuring that everyone can receive the medical care that they deserve regardless of their economic status. The firm’s insurance plans are tailored to provide maximum benefits, offering individuals and families peace of mind and financial security.

“Our network of community pharmacies is pivotal in promoting health and wellness across the regions we serve. By ensuring that our communities have access to essential pharmaceutical care and products, we are helping to create safer, healthier environments. Our pharmacists are committed to providing expert advice and personalized care, ensuring everyone is well catered for”.

Recognizing the importance of mental and emotional health, the company has in place the Employee Assistance Programme which supports mental wellness and promotes emotional resilience while focusing on developing leadership capabilities for firms. And to continuously enhance access to wellness, the company always ensures it develops and improves its health tech products. These innovative solutions, according to Afolabi is to make healthcare more efficient and user–friendly. By integrating technology into healthcare, it believes it will break down barriers and bring quality care to everyone.

The Wellness Healthcare Group’s founder is however grateful to parents, family, friends, colleagues and bosses for the various roles played in her growth and development. She also recognized the profound impact of her spouse on her life saying that through him she has come to realize that marriage can be both a game-changer and a deal-breaker.