Pharmacies in Uganda

Pharmacists in Uganda are said to be able to avail anything as long as you can pay for it. No, not anything! They do not have Viagra. I do have a hilarious colleague, who likes to tease everybody[1]. So, since this Indian pharmacist is known for having anything, the colleague asked the Indian, whether he could help him coping with his demanding significant other and whether he could e.g. have some Viagra. Well, he was very sorry not being able to offer the infamous blue pills but only “medications” on herbal basis, which would have the benefit of not affecting his heart. Isn’t he caring, our Indian pharmacist? Since then, the significant other does feel a bit uncomfortable going to that pharmacist and my colleague was disappointed because his heart was considered to be weak and he found out that the pharmacist does not have any drug (or at least not for him at that moment…) But I have been lucky with the service of this pharmacists. I could buy the birth control pills for my colleague. Although it was a challenge. They come in so many versions. I was surprised. Fortunately, there is no such pill for men. I would just be swamped with the decision, whether I need ferrous supplements and what else.

Just today the pharmacist we trust helped me. But this was not even remotely as complicated as dealing with pregnancies[2] ;-) No, it was just my generally unattractive outward appearance, which has been further negatively affected by a strange kind of infection (as I would call it). It started on the left side of my face as little hard swellings that hurt if squeezed. After one week it “wandered” to the right side of my face. Furthermore, my skin became over sensitive, so shaving became also painful procedure… Thus, I finally decided to visit the pharmacist’s. He gave me broad spectrum antibiotics… I would never apply any drug without prior consultation of a medical doctor in Germany. But here, I walk into a pharmacy and I take whatever I am offered. This is just stupid. Besides, my mild form of neurodermatitis seems to start again and like in New York, it started again at my wrists[3], which might become very unpleasant. Okay, it already started in March but since it has not been painful yet and since have been able to control scratching, I did not spare time to visit my dermatologist, when I was in Frankfurt. So, I decided, it should just disappear again having in mind that it has usually a psychological reason… The pharmacist might have also something against this problem. Just in case, I can really stay longer in Kampala and it does not disappear.



[1] Once, he ordered vegetarian ice cream in a Chinese restaurant…
[2] Well, I have second hand experience how men deal with pregnancies, especially “unexpected” pregnancies. I tell you, this can be anything between nightmare and heaven on earth… And I would definitely not contact the nice Indian chap in those cases…
[3] And somewhere else, which is really annoying.