Can a nurse or pharmacy technician or a medical doctor or a non-pharmacist open a pharmacy in Nigeria? Can a nurse open a pharmacy in Nigeria
A pharmacy is a shop or hospital dispensary where medicinal drugs are prepared or sold. Pharmacy is known as a drugstore in American English. A pharmacy and ask chemist shop practically means the same thing and can be used interchangeably. However, in Nigeria, a pharmacy is seen as a big drugstore in city centres owned and headed by a certified pharmacist while a chemist shop is perceived to be a small drug store that can be owned by a non-pharmacist such as a nurse, pharmacy technician or technologist or anybody. A Chemist shop and a pharmacy technically means the same thing.
Now to the question of the day…
Pharmacists in the house good morning.
I have a question please .
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Can a nurse or pharmacy technician or a non-pharmacist open a pharmacy in Nigeria? @ChiefPharmacst @odiaseaugustine @Drugcustodian @AprokoPharmcist @AprokoPharm @AprokoPhamacist
— Nigerian Health Blog (@DrUdomoh) December 19, 2020
It is a common thing to hear questions like: “can a nurse open or own a pharmacy?”, “can a medical doctor open a pharmacy?, are community health extension workers (CHEWs) open a pharmacy? I have also been asked if medical doctors can own or open a pharmacy shop. Many non-pharmacists also want to know if it is possible to open a pharmacy store or drug store.
Well I am not a pharmacist but this I got from a friend of mine who is a pharmacist…
In his words to NIMEDHEALTH:
“Community pharmacy business and establishing of pharmacy stores is fast growing in Nigeria. Community pharmacy is operated by a registered pharmacist who lare under the direct supervision of the pharmacist council of Nigeria (PCN). However, so many people want to open a community pharmacy. Most of these people are not pharmacists. I keep receiving questions on who is eligible to open a community pharmacy store or drug store. Most people ask if a registered nurse, a pharmacy technician or medical doctor can open a community pharmacy shop. Even community health extension workers (CHEW) and other paramedics wish they can open one.”
“The answer is capital NO. No registered nurse, pharmacy technician, medical doctor or even a CHEW can open a pharmacy in Nigeria according to law. The NIGERIAN laws are very clear on this. …only a pharmacist is permitted to own and open a pharmacy…Any other profession other than a pharmacist with a pharmacy store is criminal.”
An investigation by nimedhealth.com.ng, revealed that many non-pharmacists (nurses, pharmacy technicians, medical doctors, CHEWS, paramedics, and even persons not in the health profession) own pharmacy shops in Nigeria. The non-pharmacists use the license of certified pharmacists (at an agreed fee, say #500,000 Naira or more per year) to open a pharmacy..You know this is a common practice for those in the know.
PS: any individual (non-pharmacists) is permitted to open a patent medicine store (chemist store) so long you are ready to join their association – PATENT MEDICINE DEALERS OF NIGERIA. Chemist stores are not permitted to sell injectibles.
This is an intellectual property of nimedhealth
