Background: There is a great deal of concern surrounding the dispensing practices; a majority of studies indicated that the risk of dispensing errors were increasing.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of Community Pharmacist education and training on medication dispensing and counselling.

Methods: The data was collected by the researchers with a designed pretested interview questionnaire. Shadowing enabled the researcher to understand the user's perspective.

Results:  Only 26% and 23% of the study participants had received training in the last three years. Only 3% of the participants work with supervision or help during their 8-12hr shifts.

In total, 77% of the respondents agreed that clear self-checking routines were not implemented and their main source of information was experience 60%(n=167) of the respondents did not know the purpose of the specific medicine they had been prescribed. Only 16% of the participants received information regarding their medications. All Pharmacists dispensed thyroxin and multivitamins with iron- without a prescription or counselling .

Conclusion: The study highlighted the need to offer continuing medical training programmes for community pharmacists, focusing mainly on good dispensing practices and patient counselling.

Keywords: Dispensing, Community pharmacy, Counselling- practice