Rural areas need more pharmacies

There is debate going on in Parliament which could lead pharmacies tospread out in the future, and decongest from particular localitiesonce the bill establishing regulations on food supplements, medicines, medical devices, and other related health commodities, is enacted into law. Currently, most pharmacies are concentrated in urban areas. While most health workers prefer living in urban areas, the bigger percentage of the population is in the rural areas. And, to achieve the poverty eradication targets, it’s important that the Rwandan people are healthy and have access to medicines. While the government continues to evenly set up health centers, the same cannot be said of pharmacies, which are mostly privately owned. Owners of pharmacies prefer urban centers as that is where they can make more money, however, with incentives in place, this can change. As there are already initiatives encouraging local communities to start-up businesses in various fields, the element of pharmacies should be included. With adequate training and close monitoring by the Ministry of Health, running profitable pharmacies in rural areas is possible. For the start, special considerations or incentives such as tax holidays should be given to those who set-up pharmacies in the rural areas. Ends

Opinions

Rural areas need more pharmacies