With a careful eye, Rose watched as a downtown pharmacist counted out the small handfuls of painkillers, antibiotics and anti-malaria tablets she could afford to buy. And though she s managed her income wisely to keep her stock slowly growing, she s often lost customers to another drug shop down the road when she didn t have what they needed at hand. She also bought skin creams for rashes, drops for the eyes and the ears, and injection kits to give shots as necessary. In a curtained off corner behind the counter, Rose offers 35 cent consultations to those who can t afford a doctor. Using the blood pressure pump, thermometer and fetalscope she used as a midwife, she can diagnose and treat many basic ailments.
Most customers complain of rashes and worms, diarrhea, and coughs.
She also has a number of AIDS cases, who seek her advice on whether they should go to the hospital or not. Rose has learned a lot since she began, especially when customers she is unable to diagnose return from a doctor to tell her what treatment their symptoms require. The biggest problem with dispensing medicines is that people only buy what they can afford. Rose tries to teach them about the importance of completing a dose, but many believe it is a waste to continue swallowing precious pills, once the worst symptoms of an illness are gone. Antibiotics are more expensive, at an average of 65 cents for a full dose of 20.