What Every Woman Should Know Before Visiting the Pharmacy | Blush & Bloom Podcast | Ep. 16 with Jennifer Esiaba, Founder of Mariam Grey Pharmacy

Gigi
Sep 11
3 min read

When it comes to women’s health, pharmacies often play the role of the “nearest doctor.”

For many Nigerians, the pharmacist is the first point of contact for issues like period pain, fertility questions, infections, skincare, and even weight management. But behind the counter lies a bigger story — one of misinformation, self-medication, and the urgent need for safe access to medicines.

In this episode of Blush & Bloom, I spoke with Jennifer Esiaba, pharmacist, health innovator, and founder of Mariam Grey Pharmacy, a tech-enabled platform in Nigeria that delivers safe medicines, multilingual consultations, and AI-powered support.

Jennifer shares her journey from shop-floor pharmacist to founder, why she built Mariam Grey, and the hidden dangers she sees every day when women combine drugs, supplements, foods, and even traditional remedies without guidance.

In This Episode, We Cover

✨ Common reasons women visit pharmacies — from period pain to skincare to fertility questions

✨ Why self-medication and supplement misuse can cause real harm

✨ Surprising food and herbal interactions with common drugs like antibiotics and painkillers

✨ The role of traditional medicine in Nigeria, and how to use it more safely

✨ Why multilingual AI support matters for building trust in healthcare

✨ What every woman should ask before buying medicine over the counter

✨ How Mariam Grey Pharmacy is creating safer, faster access to authentic medicines

Medication Safety: More Than Just Pills

Jennifer highlights a recurring problem: many women stop antibiotics too early, double up on painkillers, or self-prescribe supplements without realizing the risks.

She warns that grapefruit, caffeine, dairy, and even leafy greens can interfere with certain medications. Combined wrongly, they can multiply side effects or reduce effectiveness.

“Medications are powerful. They can save lives, but they can also harm if misused,” she explains.

Traditional Remedies and Trust

In Nigeria, herbal bitters and plant-based remedies are part of daily life. Jennifer believes in traditional medicine — but stresses the need for regulation and education. Without clear dosages, quality checks, or awareness of interactions, many women end up worsening their conditions.

For her, the real challenge is bridging trust. “People sometimes take medicines because a neighbor swore by them, not because it’s safe. Culture and emotion shape health choices more than textbooks ever could.”

Building Mariam Grey Pharmacy

Mariam Grey started as a brick-and-mortar pharmacy and grew into a tech-enabled platform that:

Delivers authentic medicines within an hour by partnering with local pharmacies
Offers AI-powered health support through “Mummy Grey,” their always-on assistant
Provides multilingual consultations so patients can speak in the language they trust
Works online and offline, even via USSD codes for those without internet access

“It’s like Uber Eats for safe medicines,” Jennifer says, “but with pharmacists and doctors behind every step.”

About Our Guest: Jennifer Esiaba

Jennifer Esiaba is a pharmacist with over a decade of experience in pharmacy, AI, and cybersecurity. She is the founder of Mariam Grey Pharmacy, a platform designed to restore trust in healthcare by combining safe medicines, technology, and human-centered care.

Connect with Jennifer:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferesiaba/

• Website: https://www.mariamgrey.com