SOP for Pharmacy in Mauritius (Free PDF Download)

Pharmacy SOP for Mauritius (Free PDF Download)

A complete standard operating procedure template for opening and running a retail pharmacy in Mauritius — covering Pharmacy Board licensing, the pharmacist-in-charge requirement, scheduled-medicine handling, recall management, recordkeeping and pharmacovigilance. Adapt the bracketed fields to your premises and adopt it as your operations manual.

1. Purpose

To define the licensing, staffing, procurement, dispensing, storage, recall and recordkeeping procedures required to operate a retail pharmacy in Mauritius in line with the Pharmacy Act and Pharmacy Board requirements.

2. Scope

Applies to the pharmacist in charge, all pharmacists, dispensers and support staff at [Pharmacy Name], [Address].

3. Regulatory Background

• The Pharmacy Board grants pharmacy licences under the Pharmacy Act: no person may operate a pharmacy without a licence, and a pharmacist must be in charge of the pharmacy.
• A pharmacy licence is valid for one year and may be renewed annually on payment of the prescribed fee; the Board considers the number of pharmacies in the area and the needs of the area when deciding applications.
• No pharmacist may be in charge of more than one pharmacy without the Board's written permission.
• Only a pharmacist may dispense a prescription, compound a medicine or sell a drug in the First or Sixth Schedule — dispensers work under a pharmacist's supervision.
• The Pharmacy Council (Pharmacy Council Act 2015) registers pharmacists, who must hold a recognised pharmacy qualification and completed pre-registration training.
• A written product tracking and recall SOP is required, and records must be kept for the period the regulations require — confirm the current retention period with the Pharmacy Board.

4. Responsibilities

5. Procedure

5.1 Licensing and premises setup

1. Apply to the Pharmacy Board on the prescribed form with the prescribed fee.
2. Appoint the pharmacist in charge — registered with the Pharmacy Council and not in charge of any other pharmacy.
3. Present the premises for inspection by the Trade and Therapeutics Committee and address its recommendations.
4. Display the current pharmacy licence prominently in the pharmacy and renew it annually.

5.2 Procurement

1. Source medicines only from registered products and licensed suppliers.
2. Verify product registration on every incoming consignment.
3. Check expiry dates, batch numbers and physical condition on receipt; quarantine anything suspect.

5.3 Storage

1. Store per label conditions; maintain the cold chain for thermolabile products with temperature logs.
2. Separate quarantined, expired and recalled stock in a clearly marked area.

5.4 Dispensing

1. Dispense prescriptions, compound medicines and sell First or Sixth Schedule drugs only through a pharmacist.
2. Counsel every patient on dosage, duration and storage.
3. Record each dispensing in the prescription register.

5.5 Product tracking and recall

1. Maintain batch-level traceability from supplier to patient for every product.
2. On a recall notice (Board, manufacturer or internal finding), the pharmacist in charge initiates the recall immediately.
3. Identify and quarantine all affected batches, notify patients where required, and return stock per the recall notice.
4. Document the entire recall: batches, quantities, notifications, returns.

5.6 Pharmacovigilance

1. Report every suspected adverse drug reaction per the national pharmacovigilance requirements.
2. File a copy of each report with the pharmacy's records.

5.7 Recordkeeping

1. Keep prescription registers, purchase invoices, temperature logs, recall files and ADR reports for the period the regulations require.
2. Make all records available to Pharmacy Board inspectors on demand.

6. Pro Tips

• Apply where the need is. The Board weighs the number of pharmacies and the area's needs — a needs-based justification in the application matters.
• One pharmacist, one pharmacy. Without the Board's written permission, your pharmacist in charge cannot cover a second premises — plan cover and leave accordingly.
• Drill the recall. Run a mock recall once a year; the first time you trace a batch should not be during a real one.
• Diary the renewal. The licence is annual — set the renewal reminder 60 days out so the fee and paperwork never lapse.
• Keep dispensers supervised. Dispensers may only act under a pharmacist's supervision; unsupervised dispensing is an offence.

7. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Who licenses a pharmacy in Mauritius? A: The Pharmacy Board, under the Pharmacy Act. No person may operate a pharmacy without a Board licence, and a pharmacist must be in charge.

Q2: How long is a pharmacy licence valid? A: One year from the date specified in the licence, renewable annually on payment of the prescribed fee.

Q3: Can one pharmacist run two pharmacies? A: No — except with the written permission of the Board, no pharmacist may be in charge of more than one pharmacy.

Q4: Who may dispense prescriptions? A: Only a pharmacist may dispense a prescription, compound a medicine or sell a First or Sixth Schedule drug. Dispensers work under a pharmacist's supervision.

Q5: How are adverse drug reactions reported? A: Per the national pharmacovigilance requirements, with a copy of each report filed in the pharmacy's records.

Q6: Is a recall SOP mandatory? A: Yes — a written product tracking and recall procedure is required, with batch-level traceability from supplier to patient.