Pharmacies

In Ghana, the majority of the pharmacies are privately owned while the rest are government owned and usually affiliated with a government owned-hospital. One can usually find a well-trained pharmacist on duty who can advise as to dosage, frequency, and other options.

Pharmacies vary in the range of products they offer. Some pharmacies sell almost only medicine, whereas others have a wider range of goods that include hygiene and beauty products, and sometimes even magazines. Each district of the city will have at least one pharmacy open for twenty-four hours; however, it is sometimes a problem to locate which one is open unless one has made a point of discovering this information in advance. Although the schedule of local pharmacies is not usually posted, it may be possible to get information from the local hotel or from health-related websites pertaining to Ghana.

Given the prevalence of malaria and the low expense of healthcare, if a traveler begins to feel unwell it is best to be treated by a doctor and get a prescription rather than to rely on a pharmacist’s assessment of symptoms. Most malaria medications do not require a prescription; more medications are sold over the counter than in the United States, including antibiotics.