Invivo Opens New Outlet in Abuja Metropolis

Paul Obi in Abuja

Invivo, a health and wellness one-stop chain shop has opened a new outlet in a move to expand its reach across the country in the provision of efficient and effective community health services to Nigerians.

The opening of the new shop is in continuation of the company’s resolve to extend free medical treatments to about 2.5 people across the country as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

The company also hinted that with the free medical services, it will raise the health consciousness using several of its chain shops across the country.

Speaking to journalists at the opening of the shop, located at the popular Ceddi Plaza, Central Business Area of Abuja, Invivo director John Onyeoguzoro explained that already, the company has provided free medical consultation for some 10,000 patients since it opened outlets in Lagos and Ibadan.

He stated that the company’s aim of reaching the target demands opening about 500 outlets nationwide, adding that, the shops are structured to operate a basic model associated with primary health care that offers patient-centred, consultation-driven health and provide discreet and efficient health services.

“Already two more outlets are currently in the pipeline and these will run a pharmacy and treatment room with a resident doctor offering free consultations on a daily basis,” Onyeoguzoro told journalists on a tour of its outlet in Abuja.

Onyeoguzoro stated that “according to its model, patients can get free consultation with a staff medical doctor, who runs rapid tests—or refers out tests beyond Invivo’s capacity—before writing out prescriptions for a drug pickup at the pharmacy.

“Staff nurses and pharmacists also provide patient care, alongside other health professionals from dermatologists who provide wellness tips and recommendations before shoppers go to the shelves.

“It is the chicken and the egg. One is more important than the other. That’s why we made the tests free before buying drugs,” said Onyeoguzoro.

He told journalists that, Invivo, a subsidiary of Smartmark Limited, seeks to “address social problems such as lack of easy access to primary healthcare, the menace of counterfeit and fake dugs, self-medication and lack of early diagnosis of potentially fatal disease conditions.”
Founder Yakubu Gobir said, “Health is one of the basic rights of life, but unfortunately a lot of Nigerians don’t have access to it.”

Invivo’s In-House Doctor, Dr Funmi Olaseinde, also explained that the Abuja store has received about 3,000 patients since it opened in the city in 2015.

“Our target is to make people aware of what they are supposed to know about their health and do something about it even from home before they even get to hospital,” she said.
Olaseinde further stressed that Invivo also seeks to collaborate with the health ministry’s public health department to begin and enhance free routine immunisation and offer other critical vaccines services at affordable rates.