Dispensary

A dispensary is an office in a school, hospital, industrial plant, or other organization that dispenses medications, medical supplies, and in some cases even medical and dental treatment. In a traditional dispensary set-up, a pharmacist dispenses medication as per prescription or order form. The English term originated from the medieval Latin noun dispensaria and is cognate with the Latin verb dispensare, 'to distribute'.In Kenya, a dispensary is a small outpatient health facility, usually managed by a registered nurse. It provides the most basic primary healthcare services to rural communities, e.g. childhood immunization, family planning, wound dressing and management of common ailments like colds, diarrhea and simple malaria. The nurses report to the nursing officer at the health center, where they refer patients with complicated diseases to be managed by clinical officers.In India, a dispensary refers to a small setup with basic medical facilities where a doctor can provide a primary level of care.It doesn't have a hospitalization facility and is generally owned by single doctor.In remote areas of India where hospital facilities are not available, dispensaries will be available.The term 'dispensary' in the United States was used to refer to government agencies that sell alcoholic beverages, particularly in the state of Idaho and the South Carolina. In Arizona, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Oregon, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Ontario, Quebec, and Washington (state), medical cannabis is sold in specially designated stores called cannabis dispensaries or 'compassion clubs'. These clubs are for members or patients only, unless legal cannabis has already passed in the state or province in question. In Canada dispensaries are far less abundant than in the USA; most Canadian dispensaries are in British Columbia and Ontario.