Patient guide

Can an online doctor prescribe medicine in Nigeria, including antibiotics?

See a doctor by video

The short answer

Yes. On Mezo, a doctor whose registration with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has been verified can write an e-prescription after a video consultation, when it is the right treatment for you. The prescription goes to a partner pharmacy, which prices it from its own list; you pay on Mezo, then collect with a pickup code or have it delivered where the pharmacy offers delivery. The doctor can also order tests at a partner laboratory, priced before you pay. Antibiotics are prescribed only when the doctor judges an infection is bacterial.

See a doctor by video

Medically reviewed by , Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.

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Who can prescribe on Mezo

Only a doctor or dentist registered with the MDCN, whose registration Mezo has verified and who is not suspended, can write a prescription or order tests on the platform. A doctor prescribes in their own name, and only for a patient they have seen. Other clinicians on Mezo, such as physiotherapists and nurses, can refer you to a doctor but cannot write prescriptions here.

How your medicine reaches you

After the call:

  • The doctor writes the prescription on Mezo and sends it to a partner pharmacy
  • The pharmacy prices each item from its own price list
  • You see the price and pay on Mezo before anything is dispensed
  • You collect at the pharmacy counter with a pickup code, or have it delivered where that pharmacy delivers

Tests the doctor can order

If the doctor needs a result before deciding on treatment, such as a malaria test, a urine test or a blood count, they order it on Mezo at a partner laboratory. The laboratory prices it from its own list and you pay before you go, or have the sample collected at home where that is offered. When the results are verified, you and the doctor are told, and the doctor goes through them with you.

Why you may not leave with antibiotics

Antibiotics do not work on the viruses behind colds, flu and most coughs, and taking them when they are not needed helps germs become resistant, so they fail when you do need them. The WHO names misuse and overuse as a main driver of that resistance. For a fever in Nigeria, the national malaria guidelines say to confirm malaria with a test before treatment. So a good video consultation often ends with a test, or advice and a plan to call back, rather than a prescription. That is the doctor doing the job properly.

Go to a hospital now, not a video call

No prescription can help in time with these. Call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department if you have:

  • Chest pain, pressure or tightness, especially spreading to the arm, neck or jaw
  • A face drooping on one side, an arm that will not lift, or slurred speech
  • Breathing that is very fast or a struggle
  • Confusion, a fit, or someone who will not wake properly
  • A rash that does not fade when you press a glass against it
  • Heavy bleeding or a serious injury

Common questions

Can an online doctor prescribe antibiotics?

Yes, when the doctor judges you have a bacterial infection that needs one. Many sore throats, coughs and colds are viral, so the doctor may suggest a test or a wait-and-see plan instead.

Can I take the prescription to any pharmacy?

On Mezo the prescription is sent to a partner pharmacy, which prices it before you pay, and you collect it there with a pickup code or have it delivered where offered. That way you see the price first and the medicine is dispensed against the doctor's own prescription.

Can an online doctor give me a repeat of my regular medicine?

Where the doctor judges it safe to continue, yes. Have your medicines or photos of the packs ready, and any recent readings or results. Some medicines need tests or an examination before they are repeated.

Can a doctor prescribe for my child by video?

A paediatrician can, after assessing your child. Children's doses go by weight, so have your child's weight ready.

How do I know the doctor is real?

Every doctor who can prescribe on Mezo has had their MDCN registration checked. You can read how the check is done before you book.

Related health guides

MalariaHealth guideUrinary Tract Infection (UTI)Health guideHypertension (High Blood Pressure)Health guideDiabetesHealth guide

Read next

Malaria and typhoid test results: what they mean, and do you need both?Antibiotics for children in Nigeria: can I give them without a doctor?How to check your blood pressure at home, and get a reading your doctor can use

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See a doctor who can prescribe and order tests

Choose a doctor and a time, see their fee before you pay, and leave the video call with a plan: a prescription sent to a partner pharmacy, a test at a partner laboratory, or where to be seen in person.

See a doctor by video

Sources and further reading

The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.

  1. Antibiotics. NHS. Patient information.
  2. Antimicrobial resistance. World Health Organization. Fact sheet.
  3. National Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Malaria, 4th edition (2020). National Malaria Elimination Programme, Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria, 2020. Official publication.

Links last checked 29 October 2026.

Medical disclaimer: This guide is general information and does not replace advice from your own doctor. Where your centre's instructions differ from this guide, follow theirs.

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