Assessment of Pharmacy Services and Patient Satisfaction at Primary Healthcare Centres in Benue State

The quality of pharmacy services at primary healthcare centres directly influences patient satisfaction and medication use outcomes. This study assessed the quality of pharmacy services and levels of patient satisfaction at selected primary healthcare centres in Makurdi, Benue State, North Central Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 240 patients who had visited the pharmacy sections of six PHCs. A structured exit questionnaire assessed satisfaction domains including waiting time, pharmacist-patient interaction quality, drug availability, counselling received, and physical pharmacy environment. A pharmacy service quality assessment checklist was also applied by trained observers. Results showed that 46.7 percent of patients were satisfied with overall pharmacy services. Drug availability was rated as a major concern, with essential medicines out of stock in 38.3 percent of assessed PHC pharmacies at the time of observation. Waiting times exceeded 30 minutes in 54.2 percent of cases. Pharmacist or dispenser counselling was provided to only 31.3 percent of patients during their visit. Environmental standards, including medication storage conditions and dispensing workspace organisation, were rated as unsatisfactory in 58.3 percent of inspected pharmacies. The study concludes that pharmacy services at PHCs in Benue State require substantial improvement in staffing, essential medicine supply, and counselling practices. Recommendations include community pharmacist deployment to PHCs and an essential medicines supply chain review.

Keywords: pharmacy services, patient satisfaction, primary healthcare, Benue State, pharmaceutical care