Fatimah A Muhammad, Oluwaseyi A Akpor, Oghenerobor B Akpor
Lived experiences of patients with ostomies in a University Teaching Hospital in Kwara State, Nigeria
Heliyon
online pharmacies continue grow worldwide especially wake covid19 pandemic ghana experiencing growth unprecedented way since government initiated online pharmacy pilot december 2021 followed launch national electronic pharmacy platform july 2022 pioneering initiative calls extensive research pharmacists gain perspectives however dearth studies subsaharan african countries study sought understand pharmacists ghana perceive online pharmacies terms larger sociocultural policy implications well challenges face implementation using qualitative research design local licensed pharmacists recruited purposive sampling specifically combining maximum variation snowball sample techniques semistructured interviews conducted virtually 21 pharmacists months february march 2022 data analyzed using interpretive thematic analysis pharmacists perceived online pharmacies would transform pharmaceutical industry ghana making convenient people access medication easily reasonable price also offering privacy however concerns expressed around existing poor infrastructure inequities low health literacy inadequate regulatory practices could pose major challenges operation platform engagement stakeholders deemed essential success online pharmacy ghana much developing world potential transform advance pharmaceutical industry better serve people however could also lead increased irrational use medications properly regulated government policy makers leaders field digital health pharmacy must also address poor infrastructure inequities digital access