The Geographical Distribution of Pharmacies in the City Center of Al-Hillah

Abstract

This research deals with analysing the geographical distribution of pharmacies within the city centre of Hillah, and explaining its relationship to the surrounding geographical variables such as population density and land use patterns. The study relied on the analytical approach using geographic information systems (GIS) to determine the spatial distribution patterns. The results indicate that the distribution of pharmacies takes a clustered pattern, as they are concentrated in specific areas within the city, which leads to the existence of large areas suffering from a lack of pharmaceutical coverage. Based on these results, the study recommends the necessity of redistributing pharmacies and expanding their presence in peripheral and unserved areas, with the aim of enhancing the level of health services and ensuring their access to the largest possible number of residents.