GIS BASED ACCESSIBILITY RESEARCH of the COMMUNITY PHARMACY SERVICES in DISTRICTS with HIGH NUMBER of COVID-19 CASES during PANDEMIC in ISTANBUL

Pharmacies are one of the basic components of health services in settlement centers. Providing pharmacy services to the community efficiently can be achieved with the sufficient number of available pharmacies precisely distributed within the settlement areas. Especially in extraordinary times as the Covid-19 Pandemic, the adequate and accessible service of pharmacies contributes surveillance by reducing the potential contacts. In this study, two districts with high number of COVID-19 cases in Istanbul, Bagcilar and Esenler districts, were examined using geographic information technology. In this context, the number of pharmacies in the study area and their spatial distribution were examined and a neighborhood-based service adequacy assessment was provided. In addition, pharmacies with fast pedestrian access were determined by evaluating the defined service area of each pharmacy together with demographic data. Policies for effective pandemic management that can be applied in regions with limited or no service access within international standards were discussed. The main findings of the study are that although there are sufficient number of pharmacies for the living population in both districts where unplanned urbanization is dominant, the population without pedestrian access within the standards is remarkable due to the imbalances in the spatial distribution of the existing pharmacies in the study area. It is important to establish temporary service points in these regions during the pandemic so that this problem, which is especially appeared in neighborhoods with high population density far from the district center, does not adversely affect the pandemic management. After the pandemic, studies should be planned to improve the existing unequal service distribution by considering the service demand and service usage habits of the people of the region.