The Spatial Distribution of Private Pharmacies in Ajdabiya City: A Study in the Geography of Services

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the current status of private pharmacy services in the city of Ajdabiya, identify the characteristics of their spatial distribution, and evaluate the efficiency of their distribution and spatial patterns across residential neighborhoods using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The study measured the spatial distribution of pharmacies through the application of statistical and spatial techniques, including Nearest Neighbor Analysis and Kernel Density Analysis, to assess distribution density and spatial patterns. The results revealed an imbalance in the distribution of pharmacy services among the city's neighborhoods. This finding was confirmed by the predominance of a clustered distribution pattern tending toward randomness. The analysis also showed that the majority of pharmacies are concentrated in the city center within the urban planning area, while their availability decreases toward the peripheral and newly developed neighborhoods located outside the urban plan. The study recommends extending pharmacy services to underserved neighborhoods in order to achieve equitable service distribution and emphasizes the importance of adhering to planning standards and regulations when granting permits for the establishment of new pharmacies.