KUWAIT CITY, Feb 17: The National Fund for Small and Medium Enterprises Development asked the Municipal Council to allow the inclusion of the pharmacy activity in fuel stations for small and medium enterprises funded by it, explaining that this system is applied in some neighboring countries and others. The newspaper obtained a copy of the fund’s letter to the council, stating that one of the companies specialized in pharmacies and funded it submitted a letter requesting support by allowing the inclusion of the pharmacy activity in fuel stations in order to achieve certain goals, the most important of which are enhancing community services, supporting the local economy, establishing the position of the National Fund, and supporting small and medium enterprises.

The fund pointed out that the company obtained initial approval from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Interior to include the pharmacy activity in fuel stations once the required approvals from the relevant authorities are completed. The National Fund’s letter on the subject also included three reasons for the initiative to allow pharmacies to operate inside gas stations: spread of the service and coverage of remote areas outside residential areas (highways), population density in some areas where there is only one pharmacy, and achieving a higher sales volume, as the proposed location has a competitive advantage over other competitors to achieve a higher net profit.

By Inaas Awadh Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff