It turns out the good news about healthcare is something we already know… our pharmacists are leading the way in care, and Dis-Chem is helping extend that trust further.
South Africa (13 November 2025) – When you’re feeling under the weather, who do you turn to first? For many South Africans, the answer isn’t their GP or even a clinic. It’s their pharmacist.
Recently, when we asked Good Things Guy readers about their first stop when they get sick, the answers came flooding in… and they weren’t surprising. From Joburg to Cape Town, Durban to small towns in between, South Africans trust their pharmacists as their go-to. And while some mentioned their local Dis-Chem (completely unprompted), others spoke about their pharmacists with so much love, it felt more like family than healthcare.
“We know our pharmacist personally, he’s awesome (both him and his wife). Their advice is spot on, and if something concerns them, they’ll tell us to go to the doctor,” one reader shared.
Another added, “Our pharmacist is a terrific chap. He knows both our medical histories – what meds we were on, what has changed, what we are on now. Hubby has to be very careful – there are things he cannot have at all (due to having had three mini strokes, and heart surgery years ago) – I don’t even have to ask what is contra indicated – he tells me! And he never rushes me when I have a query. An absolute gem.”
While one of our readers shared how they grew up with their pharmacist, “I know the pharmacist personally, who I grew up with, and he is still operating. If I am in my hometown, I will happily visit him for advice.”
This shows something powerful. Pharmacists aren’t just about dispensing medication. They’re about connection, prevention and reassurance. They’re the ones who answer the quick questions, notice when something seems off, and often nudge us toward seeking more help when needed.
“Pharmacists are often the most accessible healthcare professional, someone you can speak to without an appointment and at no cost,” explains the Dis-Chem team. “That level of access, combined with their training, makes them a powerful force in prevention and early detection of disease.”
And while South Africans clearly already see the value in that, Dis-Chem has added another layer to the care by including nurses in-store.
It’s a natural extension of the trust we already place in our pharmacists.
Nurses at Dis-Chem clinics are there to handle consultations, chronic care management, and preventative health checks, ensuring that when something requires more than a pharmacist’s advice, the next step is right there, without the cost of heading straight to a GP.
It’s about working smarter within the healthcare system. Letting pharmacists and nurses do what they’re fully trained for means fewer bottlenecks, lower costs, and more people getting care earlier.
“A paradigm shift, for consumers and healthcare professionals alike, could result in broader access to healthcare while concurrently affecting system and cost efficiencies,” adds Dis-Chem.
South Africans have already shown where their trust lies. We already know the value of our pharmacists; many of us wouldn’t dream of skipping that first conversation with them. What Dis-Chem is doing is building on that reality, creating a healthcare model that starts with the people we already trust and extends it to include nurses for even greater access.
And that sounds like a good thing to us.
Good Things Guy has partnered with Dis-Chem to share stories that matter about South African healthcare. With over 200 stores nationwide, Dis-Chem is home to in-store clinics with qualified nurses and pharmacists who provide advice, care, and treatment every single day. From vaccinations and screenings to everyday healthcare support, Dis-Chem is committed to making quality healthcare more accessible and affordable for South Africans.
Sources: Dischem | Good Things Guy Readers
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