As the adage goes – it takes a village to raise a child and so too, importantly, it takes a community to secure their future.

The recent looting and  unrest left many of our pharmacies vulnerable and our immediate action was to initiate the “Back For Good” campaign. There was no hesitation from the entire Alpha Pharm Family from our execs, group staff members,  senior management team, business partners , unaffected pharmacies  and suppliers who all made sure that this miracle happened.

The  “Back For Good” initiative was actioned to cement our pharmacies in their communities and continue the good work which they have done over a span of a lifetime. Critically the primary  aim of this initiative was to rebuild and restock these pharmacies, save jobs and above all, ensure continued healthcare for the communities we serve. The combined effort  has restored faith in our fellowman, who kept the South African spirit and flame bright and alive. No looting can ever break our resolve or determination in our quest to provide healthcare in our beloved communities that we serve! So as long as we continue to stand as one, a united South Africa is possible!

On behalf of the Alpha Pharm family, I’d like to personally thank each and every supplier who came on board and helped restock the affected pharmacies with FREE stock, services and equipment. This act of kindness can probably never be repaid in fair proportion but as we well know the wheel turns and certainly no one will ever get dizzy from doing too many good turns. This collaborative effort helped kick the biggest rescue job in pharmacy history into action.

Thank you to the franchised, corporate and shareholder pharmacies for your tenacity, your ability to weather the storm and to show your communities how much you care for them by being BACK FOR GOOD.

Lastly, to Verona Fataar – a leader of leaders, Rogan Taylor, Teresa Rautenbach , Werner Styger and each and every member of staff who played a role to make this possible – thank you, thank you, thank you, we are all proud to be part of The Alpha Pharm Family.

by – Al van Buuren, CEO of Alpha Pharm Corporate Retail