Zmzm Charitable Association and Nahdi Medical Company, Saudi Arabia's leading retail pharmacy chain, has provided health services to 16,735 needy patients across the Kingdom after the announcement of their community-based partnership in late 2016.The partnership served as a model of productive cooperation between the private sector and non-profit organizations in line with the Saudi Vision 2030, which calls for joint efforts to develop the healthcare sector and provide the best services for all segments of the Saudi people. Nahdi won the Gulf Sustainability Award in Dubai, which the company presented to Zmzm in recognition of its role in the partnership. Building on this success, Zmzm and Nahdi signed an agreement allowing Al-Nahdi clients to donate "Nouhdik" points in favor of the association. The agreement was signed by Nahdi CEO Yasser Joharji and Zmzm Chairman Adnan Al-Bar. Zmzm and Nahdi's partnership includes three initiatives: Zmzm Medical Convoys, the Charity Pharmacy, and "Your Riyals Give Hope". Offering a breakdown of beneficiaries from the three initiatives run by Zmzm, the Nahdi said its pharmacists joined 71 convoys in 23 villages in five cities in western Saudi Arabia. It said 8,532 patients benefited from those medical convoys, during which the company donated SR500,000 worth of medicines and the company pharmacists volunteered 1,320 hours to educate patients, give medical advice and disburse medications. As for the Charity Pharmacy initiative, under which Zmzm provides medicines to patients who cannot afford buying it, 6,667 patients benefited from discounts Nahdi offered through Zmzm. The Your Riyals Give Hope initiative, under which Nahdi customers donated their change from purchases to help patients, saw an annual growth of 211 percent in the amount collected. More than 750,000 customers donated for the campaign in 2018 compared to 191,000 in 2017. "The Zmzm Association with the support of private sector organizations could achieve significant leaps in the field of voluntary health work, and Nahdi Medical Company was one of the most important supporters of the association and the needy patients. We are delighted to work with Nahdi on the long term to realize the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and our goals together to elevate the Saudi community and help those in need," said Zmzm Chairman Dr. Al-Bar. "We are proud of the achievements of our partnership with Zmzm, which now enters its third year," said Nahdi's Yasser Joharji. — SG
