Medbury Pharmaceutical MD Highlights Key Milestones Under Public-Private Partnership Agreement with UCH Pharmacy

The Group Managing Director of Medbury Healthcare, Dr. Itunu Akinware, has highlighted significant milestones achieved under the Public-Private Partnership, PPP, agreement between Medbury Medical Services and the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan.

Dr. Akinware stated this during a courtesy visit to the Management of UCH on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, where she spoke with UCH Media on the progress and achievements recorded since the commencement of the partnership.

According to her, the collaboration has led to a significant increase in the number of pharmaceutical products available at the UCH Pharmacy, with the Stock Keeping Units, SKUs, increasing from 62 to over 2,000 different drug brands and products.

She also disclosed that the partnership had substantially improved the rate of prescription fulfilment at the UCH Pharmacy, noting that patients are now able to obtain prescribed medications in about 97 per cent of cases.

"We have been able to move the SKUs from 62 to over 2,000 different types of brands. We have also been able to increase the fulfilment rate, such that 97 per cent of the time patients visit the UCH Pharmacy, they get the drugs prescribed by their doctors. That is amazing anywhere in the world and speaks to the great partnership we have been able to achieve with the good people of UCH," she said.

Dr. Akinware acknowledged that, despite the achievements, the partnership had encountered challenges along the way. She, however, said the spirit of collaboration, continuous engagement, and a shared commitment to progress had enabled both parties to overcome the challenges and achieve remarkable results.

"We have our challenges, but we always come back to the drawing board. The spirit of collaboration and progress has worked strongly and solidly, and this has allowed us to achieve a remarkable feat," she said.

She expressed appreciation to the management and leadership of UCH for their support, stressing that the milestones recorded would not have been possible without the cooperation of the hospital.

"I want to use this opportunity to appreciate the Management and the Hospital leadership because without them, we would not have been able to achieve this milestone. This is just the beginning, and we pray that we continue to take it further," she added.

Dr. Akinware identified the digitalisation of pharmacy operations as another major achievement of the partnership. She explained that the pharmacy initially operated largely through paper-based and manual processes but had, over the past year, transitioned to digital processes.

"When we started, we were using paper and manual processes, but over the last one year, we have introduced digital processes. This speaks to how successful we have been with the collaboration," she said.

Speaking on how Medbury and the UCH Pharmacy have been able to sustain the increased demand for pharmaceutical products, Dr. Akinware attributed the success largely to the effective use of data and technology.

She explained that Medbury had developed a bespoke, an internally built technology system tailored specifically to the operational needs of UCH. According to her, the system supports demand planning and enables the company to anticipate the medicines and pharmaceutical products required by patients.

"One of the things we have is a bespoke, an internally built system, a technology software tailored to UCH which helps with demand planning. It helps us understand what we need to stock and what we need to provide so that we are not just providing anything, but what is particularly and specifically needed," she explained.

She added that the flexibility of the technology-driven system had enabled Medbury to respond quickly to changing demands and ensure the availability of needed pharmaceutical products.

"We are a very agile company. Wherever we need anything, we ensure that it is there," she said.

Dr. Akinware described Medbury’s experience with UCH as a positive one, commending the hospital management for creating an environment conducive to a successful public-private partnership.

"We have had a fantastic time working with UCH Management when it comes to public-private partnership. We would encourage anyone who is looking forward to doing PPP in UCH to really consider it, as we have had a great experience," she said.