Pakistan: Sehat First Project
Unilever strives to deploy long-term community developmental initiatives that provide a base for self sustaining economic development, thus providing a larger and more robust customer base.
Sehat First is a social enterprise that aims to deliver affordable, quality basic health care & pharmaceutical services across Pakistan through self-sustainable franchised tele-health centers. The Sehat First model is targeted at expanding the health care service delivery network in Pakistan while creating entrepreneurial & employment opportunities in the country through retail outlets. A total of 500 Sehat First centers will be set up across Pakistan within the next 5 years. This project launched with the first ever integrated telehealth centre and retail outlet at Chashma Goth in Bin Qasim Town of Karachi at end of June 2008. The centre is the result of a public/ private partnership project between Sehat First, the Department of Health, City District Government, Karachi and the support of Unilever Pakistan.
In geographically dispersed low-income communities there is a strong need for access to affordable healthcare, as quality healthcare services are limited, with few doctors, shortages of quality staff and lack of funding. Low-income populations suffer from a prevalence of communicable diseases that should be
prevented, including malaria, diarrhea, acute respiratory illnesses and vaccine-preventable diseases (measles, hepatitis).
Volunteers from the customer & development department in Unilever Pakistan have been working on this project since January 2008, in developing the
retail outlets:
Advising & assisting the set-up of retail outlets
Inventory and store management
Selecting and training retail entrepreneurs
Advise on sales generation in rural retailing
Strategic input
"We are working with the core team of Sehat First to establish a shop which will generate profit to make this unit a self sustainable project. The initial results are very encouraging. I am sure this unique project will flourish on self sustainable basis and spread nationally as per plan." Sajid Munir, Volunteer
"I am really excited about working on the SEHAT FIRST PROJECT as this is a new model. It gives me an opportunity to contribute not only to society but to the business as well. It gives me pleasure to see that I can also make a difference to the people of Paksitan" - Junaid Ali Khanm volunteers
