According to the 2013 Kenya Household Health Expenditure Survey, one in 10 Kenyans would rather consult a pharmacist than go to hospital, and almost a third buy medication over the counter without a prescriptionThis is the reality of most of Kenya's pharmacies in a country where the number of registered professionals by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board is far less than that of retail outlets. Only 5,840 pharmacies were registered out of an estimated 15,000 outlets in the country.One of the ways out is having the mark of quality(green cross) as advised by Dr Daniella Munene, the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya CEO.The green cross is used as a symbol of professional medical dispensaries globally and if all pharmacists in the country would adopt this it would help consumers distinguish between professionals and quacks.The CEO said when the legitimate pharmacists display the Green cross it was a guarantee that they had a licence, proper premise conditions, the required medical equipment, lock-and-key storage facilities for expired or restricted drugs, a semi-private patient counselling area and qualified pharmacists and staff.

Source: Daily Nation