Zambia

Zambia’s urban population has access to more than 100 pharmacies, while rural areas have few. The gap is filled by unregulated drug shops that are staffed primarily by untrained personnel selling medicines of unassured quality, which poses a risk to public health. In response, the Zambian government enacted the Medicines and Allied Substances Act No. 3 of 2013, which provides for the Health Shop concept. A Health Shop is a dispensing facility or premises that meets government-instituted quality standards that allows it to sell a selected list of medicines under the control of an authorized person. ZAMRA’s Health Shop programme combines premises and personnel accreditation based on standards and regulations that is based on a successful nationwide model in Tanzania that has been adapted in multiple countries including Uganda, Liberia, and Bangladesh. A primary priority is to assure that the personnel who will dispense medicines at the Health Shops have the appropriate competence and skills needed. This new Health Shop dispenser cadre will be trained and accredited to work exclusively in an accredited Health Shop. From a regulatory standpoint, ZAMRA is mandated to register and regulate these outlets and with help from MSH has developed the guidelines to roll out the Health Shop concept across Zambia.