In San Bernardino County, a humble but powerful scene unfolded: a ribbon was cut, hands were shaken, and a new kind of care was set in motion. At the center stood Dr. John Undie, a Nigerian immigrant and pharmacist, launching Unik Care Pharmacy with one clear mission:
“We’re here to serve the community.”
Those words weren’t just ceremonial. They echoed through the small crowd gathered that day—not just as a declaration of business, but as a promise of presence. Because in a country where over 12,000 pharmacies have closed in the last decade and where nearly 1 in 4 Americans struggle to afford prescriptions, what Dr. Undie opened was more than a pharmacy.
He opened a lifeline.
Where Systems Fall Short, Immigrants Step In
For many people in underserved communities—particularly immigrants, seniors, and working-class families—accessing healthcare often means navigating barriers at every level: transportation, cost, trust, and language. Dr. Undie understands these challenges intimately—not just as a professional, but as someone who has lived them.
From the heart of San Bernardino, Unik Care Pharmacy now delivers free medications across Southern California—to cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, Bakersfield, and Palmdale. That service, offered at no cost, radically shifts what’s possible for patients who can’t get to a pharmacy or can’t afford the added expense.
“We deal with hospice facilities, boarding care, home health, and regular patients too,” Dr. Undie said. “And what we do differently from other pharmacies—we do free deliveries of medications to our patients. It’s free. You don’t need to pay for it.”
It may sound simple, but the impact is profound—especially for seniors, caregivers, and disabled individuals who are often forgotten by larger systems.
Local Collaboration, National Implication
This launch wasn’t a solo act. It was backed by Clinica Medica Familiar, a clinic system with 13 locations, over 1,800 specialists, and three decades of experience serving immigrants across Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
“We’ve been in business for a long time—like 30 years,” said clinic administrator Alejandro Ruiz. “We’re going to keep growing. Because working together, we can help each other. The patients need exactly the same from all of us—doctors, the pharmacy, and the supplies.”
Ruiz saw more than a business opportunity in this partnership. He saw a shared mission—rooted in culture, compassion, and commitment to those who often fall through the cracks.
“Mostly our patients are immigrants. I know that for sure,” he shared. “Sometimes it’s difficult for them to be out… but that’s going to change. For the better.”
Immigrant Leadership in Action
Dr. Undie’s story is not an outlier. It’s part of a larger truth: immigrants are essential to U.S. healthcare.
28% of U.S. physicians and 18% of all healthcare workers are immigrants
In California, that number jumps to 35%
Over 37% of home health aides—who care for our most vulnerable—are also foreign-born[³]
Immigrants don’t just participate in American healthcare—they sustain it, especially in communities that need care the most.
From Pharmacy Desert to Healthcare Delivery
In many parts of the U.S., particularly rural and low-income areas, pharmacy deserts are real. Since 2010, nearly one-third of all U.S. pharmacies have closed—cutting off access to critical prescriptions for thousands.[¹]
Unik Care Pharmacy is responding to this void with a model built on delivery, integration, and dignity. With Clinica Medica Familiar’s trust and reach, prescriptions are filled quickly and delivered directly to those who need them most.
This isn’t just convenient. It’s life-changing.
A Vision Rooted in Service, Powered by Immigrants
The beauty of Unik Care Pharmacy lies in its simplicity: care that meets people where they are. There are no long lines, no confusing insurance battles, no extra costs. Just the quiet, consistent promise that someone sees you, values you, and will show up for your health.
“Everybody is involved in the same thing,” Ruiz said during the launch. “They’re nurses, they’re the ones that work in the doctor’s offices too. We are going to be successful—I know that.”
This Is What Contribution Looks Like
So often, national debates reduce immigrants to talking points—either vilified or sanitized. But Dr. Undie’s pharmacy is a living answer to those narratives. It is not charity. It is not tokenism.
It is contribution made visible.
From Nigeria to California, from clinic to doorstep, from vision to reality—Dr. John Undie is reshaping American healthcare not just with medicine, but with meaning.
#DrJohnUndie #UnikCarePharmacy #TIMTV #VoiceOfImmigrants #ImmigrantHealthcare #HealthcareAccess #FreeRxDelivery #CommunityHealth #PharmacyDeserts #ClinicaFamiliar #ImmigrantInnovation #DignityDelivered
🎙️ Watch the full story on TIM TV – Voice of Immigrants
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Sources:
[1] JAMA Network Open, “Pharmacy Closures and Medication Adherence,” 2020.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2771089
[2] Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), “Public Opinion on Prescription Drugs and Their Prices,” 2023.
https://www.kff.org/health-costs/poll-finding/public-opinion-on-prescription-drugs-and-their-prices/
[3] Migration Policy Institute, “Immigrant Health-Care Workers in the United States,” 2020.
https://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/immigrant-health-care-workers-united-states
