E-DRUG: RFI: Siting of Pharmacies (3)
-------------------------------------
Naziruddin Ahsan,
I will share with you the situation in Uganda and hopefully it will be
of assistance in designing something appropriate for your country.
A few years ago the National Medicines Regulatory Authority realized
that the majority of pharmacies including new ones being opened every
year were located in the capital city, Kampala and more specifically in
the Central Business District (CBD) and in 2 (out of 5) other suburbs of
the capital city. Infact even in the CBD these were also located on 2-3
short streets in what became known as the "Pharmacy Village".
The NDA - which licenses pharmacy practices - with the full support and
concurrence of The Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda - which registers
and issues certificates of practice to pharmacists - then issued new
guidelines for opening and operating of pharmacies:
No new pharmacy practice can be opened in the CBD or the 2 suburbs of
the capital city where it is deemed that there are sufficient
pharmaceutical services available to the population. If a pharmacy
practice closes down for whatever reason for 1 year it is not allowed to
re-open again.
Pharmacy practice licensing & renewal of license fees are higher in the
capital city district than in upcountry/rural districts. This is to
encourage pharmacists/pharmacy owners to 'move out' and open pharmacy
practices in under-served areas.
The current guidelines stipulate distances ranging from 150 - 300metres
(measured in a straight line from an existing pharmacy) depending on the
area in which the pharmacy is proposed to be located (e.g. city suburb
or in a small town) and the location of existing pharmacies for opening
new pharmacies. This guideline is strictly enforced by NDA and an
existing pharmacy can appeal if they believe this is not being adhered
to in a particular case.
I think you have to look at the situation in your country and decide
what you want to achieve - do you currently have a problem of congestion
of pharmacies in the same city/part of the country or in one particular
area of the city? What can you change in order to achieve your
objective? It is critical that you involve relevant stakeholders in
coming up with new guidelines if you are to succeed in reaching your
desired position. Remember where no professional pharmacy services are
available - someone - usually untrained - will move in to fill the gap
and provide a "service of availing essential medicines" to those in
need, which more often than not will result in the irrational use of
medicines and may well kick-in dispensing of sub-standard and
counterfeit medicines!
Regards
Joseph Serutoke
Pharmacist
Kampala, Uganda
serutokej@ug.afro.who.int
"EXPRESSED VIEW(S) PERSONAL TO THE ABOVE-NAMED"