Dis-Chem today unveiled the Melrose Arch Health Hub, marking a significant step forward in its ambition to reduce the cost of healthcare, increase access and improve health outcomes for South Africans.
More than a new store, the company says the hub represents a fundamental shift in how healthcare is delivered through retail. The format is anchored in a clinic, pharmacy and cover services trifecta, marking a significant step in Dis-Chem’s evolution from a pharmacy-led retailer to an integrated health partner and retailer.
“South Africans have long had to navigate their healthcare alone, moving between disconnected providers and fragmented systems. This store is our answer to that. It is not enough to just stock health products. We want to actively deliver care. When healthcare, pharmacy, financial services and technology work together in one place, we can reach more people, at lower cost, and with better outcomes. That is the ambition, and this is where it starts,” said Dis-Chem CEO Rui Morais.
Hub and services
At the centre of the store is the Hub, a full-service gateway positioned as the primary entry point into Dis-Chem’s healthcare ecosystem. Staffed by trained Health Hub Advisors, it provides a single point of entry where customers are guided across both healthcare and retail journeys.
Pharmacy services have been re-engineered with a digital ticketing system to eliminate queuing. The in-store clinic has been upgraded to deliver nurse-led consultations, virtual GP access, and a fully equipped pre-assessment and diagnostic testing room.
Financial services are fully integrated, with dedicated financial advisors available in private consultation spaces.
Designed from scratch
Morais noted that the store’s design was driven by a deliberate challenge to conventional thinking. “The genesis of this store lay in a simple but hugely important question: if we could reimagine the future of health retail without any constraints, what would that look like? We did not start with the floor plan of an existing store. We started from scratch, imagining the art of the possible. From there, we worked to bring that vision back to the reality of our customers, our staff and our brand. With this format, we are bringing together elements that have long been fragmented into one coherent system, making healthcare more accessible, more connected and easier to navigate. That is what Better Health Starts Here truly means in practice,” he said.
Rollout plans
The company says this new format has been built for scale and is designed to be progressively rolled out across the Dis-Chem footprint.
“The Melrose Arch Health Hub sets a new benchmark for how retail and healthcare can work together to deliver meaningful impact, bringing Dis-Chem closer to its ambition of becoming South Africa’s most accessible and trusted healthcare partner,” Morais concluded.
