Ask the Experts

Thumbay Group and Albatha Group/MPC Join Forces to Augment UAE’s Pharmacy Sector

Mark James CEO of MPC Healthcare. Leading healthcare distributor MPC has a longstanding track record of more than 50 years of market presence in health, pharma, and consumer care. While renowned business conglomerate Thumbay Group has a diversified portfolio across 20 sectors, including clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies in both the UAE and India. Both have have merged their forces in the pharmacy business, enabling MPC to oversee full operational control of all Thumbay pharmacies. To learn more, Saadiya Ahmad meets with Mark James, CEO of MPC Healthcare.

CORE VALUES/ STRENGTHS

According to James, MPC’s core strengths stem from being part of the Albatha Group. He elaborates, “Being one of the larger divisions, we receive tremendous support which in turn, provides us stability. Also, our local ownership enables us to take a long-term view of the many decisions we make, as our founders are fully invested in the UAE. This bolsters our ability to look forward and is one of the reasons we wanted

a long-term relationship with Thumbay Group.”

Regarding values, MPC has been in existence for over 50 years, therefore, have a very good understanding of the UAE market, particularly in healthcare. “Our solid reputation in the market stems from our values,” he says, attributing MPC’s 50 years of history. The people who built MPC behaved in a certain way that made it successful, says James, and they were customer focused, maintained their promises, and were flexible as the market changed. “My role is to be the custodian for that set of values and protect them for the future,” he explains. Even if the market changes, MPC’s strategies might change, but their company culture is deeply rooted in their DNA and will not change.

PROVIDING AN EXPERIENCE

James believes there’s a role for pharmacies to connect to their local communities and this is why Thumbay Group was one of the most attractive groups to work with. He explains, “Most of the Thumbay retail sector is located within their hospitals’ or in a local community pharmacy setting. Most people visit a pharmacy based upon a connection with an individual within that particular pharmacy. And this is what MPC is keen to promote. “There’s a lot of alignment on what the role of the pharmacy is,” tells James, and it’s not just to sell retail products, but to support the patient. “We need to ensure we have the right people in the best locations, and we then need to ensure the stock and products available are correct for the type of pharmacy we are trying to promote.”

PREVENTION IS BETTER

Regarding the importance of reducing healthcare costs, James firmly believes it’s not about doing things cheaply, but cleverly. “The key to reducing cost is to look into prevention which is less expensive than treating a fully developed illness,” he says. So lifestyle shifts are important, but also, diagnostics are vital. Developing a more clinical approach to understanding patients’ in the pharmacy can enable this preventive approach. “For instance, if a patient is exhibiting signs of type 2 diabetes, but has not been diagnosed, the pharmacist can identify the precursor red flags of type 2 diabetes and can therefore, suggest to undergo a quick test to confirm.

EARLY INTERVENTIONAL APPROACH

Also, clinical interventions can be augmented through the pharmacies, remarks James. “Another is compliance as statistically, 50 percent of medicines globally are prescribed and dispensed, but the course is not completed. “Convincing patients’ to complete their medication course will, in turn, improve healthcare standards,” he explains. “Overall, there are enormous possibilities of what pharmacies can do.”