Sozo Wellness Pharmacy brings real healthcare to SWFL minority community

Chances are you’ve heard of a ‘food desert.’ It’s defined as an urban area where it’s difficult to buy affordable or quality fresh food.

In healthcare, there are communities known as a ‘pharmacy desert.’

The ‘Pharmacy Access Initiative is an interactive tool that was designed by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) and the National Community Pharmacists Association, the tool found that approximately 25% of neighborhoods in the United States are pharmacy deserts, many of which are in communities of color.

Before Dr. Shadreka McIntosh opened ‘Sozo Wellness Pharmacy’ during the summer of 2021 in Dunbar, the community was not only a food desert but also a pharmacy desert.

“Before Sozo Wellness, there was not a pharmacy within almost a 3-mile radius of this zip code, and I found that to be kind of interesting. Even though I knew, I just never really knew the distance. I just knew that you always had to leave the community to go to a big box chain, to go to a grocery store,” Dr. McIntosh said.

Dr. McIntosh said she remembers growing up seeing her neighbors traveling outside of their community just to get quality healthcare.

“As black people, we have learned throughout generations how to survive, how to adapt to what you don’t have, or how to use what you do have,” Dr. McIntosh said.

“To be honest, it was the norm because it was like you didn’t think about what you didn’t have per se. You just figured out how to go get what you needed. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized you know some of the things the community I grew up in were lacking.”

During the summer of 2021 dr. McIntosh opened Sozo Wellness Pharmacy in the same community she grew up in, finally removing Dunbar from the list of minority communities that did not have access to a pharmacy.

“I mean, it is very disheartening, but at the same time, I consider myself blessed to be a small part of a solution. You know, that just to see that there was nothing here in my own community and being able and willing to, despite, again, the obstacles and barriers, to branch out and say, ‘hey, this is something that I need to do for my community,’ and try and meet that need as best as I can,” Dr. McIntosh said.

If you’re interested in learning more about Sozo Wellness Pharmacy and other resources in Lee County, on Saturday, February 25, from 7 a.m. To 1 p.m., the Lee County Black History Society is sponsoring Heart Hustle, which is presented by Increase the Peach Health and Fitness studio and Sozo Wellness Pharmacy. 

The Health & Wellness Festival includes a 5k walk/run, Zumba, yoga, boot camps, wellness vendors, and black history museum tours.

Dr. McIntosh said it’s a great opportunity for the community to come out and learn about all things health and her pharmacy.