The Pharmacy Profession in Zambia

Retail pharmacy practice in Zambia dates back to 1904 and the first Zambian pharmacist was registered in 1965. The establishment of local training facilities has had a positive impact on the practice. The pharmacy and medicines laws have undergone reviews which have contributed to an improvement in the capacity of the regulatory authorities to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of medicines and medical supplies on the Zambian market. The National Quality Control Laboratory has been in operation since 2011. Medical Stores Limited was, before Zambia's independence, a store under the Department of Health before moving to Salisbury during the brief era of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. In 1976 it was converted into a parastatal limited company under the Medical and Pharmaceutical Corporation (MEPCO). The Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia was born in 1980 and its continued activity is a credit to the pharmacy profession in Zambia. The founder members and subsequent leadership of the Society have worked hard to achieve this status. The pharmacy profession in Zambia has come a long way and it has a lot to be proud of. However, there is still much more that can be done.