28/02/2026
The health sector operates through a well-defined, systematic process guided by standard operating procedures and clinical guidelines. When a patient visits a health facility, they are examined, investigations are conducted, and a diagnosis or clinical impression is made. Based on these findings, appropriate treatment options are prescribed, which may include procedures and medications.
Prescriptions must be properly written by the prescriber — whether a clinician, physician, or doctor — and the pharmacist is responsible for dispensing medication and providing instructions on how it should be taken. For inpatients, nurses administer medications according to the prescription.
However, the system recognizes that human errors can occur at any stage. A prescriber may make an error in dosage or frequency, and the pharmacist has both the responsibility and authority to identify, correct, or advise on such errors. If a prescribed drug is unavailable, the pharmacist may recommend an alternative. In sensitive cases, this decision must involve consultation with the prescriber to ensure patient safety.
Similarly, if a medication error is detected during administration, the nurse must stop and consult the prescriber or pharmacist before proceeding. These safeguards exist because healthcare delivery is collaborative. Effective patient care depends on teamwork, consultation, and professional accountability among all healthcare providers.
A growing concern, however, is the increasing influx of people purchasing medicines without prescriptions. This practice undermines the healthcare system, compromises patient safety, and weakens professional collaboration.
This is why the issue needs to be addressed publicly.The message emphasized that change begins with individuals. System-wide improvement is only possible when each healthcare professional takes personal responsibility.
At the individual level, this means that when a person presents at a pharmacy or chemist without a prescription for a prescription-only medicine, the drug should not be sold. Instead, the patient should be advised to return with a valid prescription. Upholding this responsibility protects patients, strengthens professional standards, and preserves the integrity of the healthcare system.
Addressing this challenge is urgent and requires commitment from all stakeholders — healthcare practitioners, pharmacies, and the public — because meaningful change starts with individual action.
