Patients advised to seek prescriptions before buying drugs from pharmacies

With an increase of pharmaceutical companies in Mzuzu City, Mzimba North District Health Office (DHO) has appealed to the general public to get medical prescriptions from professionals when they fall ill before purchasing drugs from any pharmacy.

Mzuzu Pharmacy

Public Relations Officer for Mzimba North DH Lovemore Kawayi said some diseases show similar signs and symptoms such that without a doctor’s examination, one may end up purchasing and taking drugs that might not be a rightful treatment.

“A patient needs to be diagnosed to establish a disease he/she is suffering from for a health worker to come up with a right prescription as taking medication without diagnosis and right prescription can be dangerous to one’s life,” he said.

While acknowledging the fact that clients have the liberty to purchase medical drugs if they are not satisfied with public hospitals’ services, but buying drugs without prescription, a patient may end up being offered a raw deal.

Lusubiro Mwangonde, proprietor of one of Mzuzu’s first pharmaceutical institutions, Mzuzu Pharmacy, concurred with Kawayi saying some pharmacy operators in the city sell medical drugs to clients without medical prescription references.

Mwangonde said some pharmacy operators sell inadequate dosages of medical drugs at a cheaper price in order to attract clients.

“Drugs in some pharmacies are sold at lower prices, but what the clients do not know is that they buy less medicine than required for a dosage,” he said.

According to Mwangonde, it was high time individuals became responsible for their lives by demanding prescriptions even in pharmacies so that they purchase right dosage of drugs.

“In my understanding, a proper pharmacy is supposed to have a qualified officer who can diagnose and provide prescriptions to patients,” he said.

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