More than 100 Saskatchewan pharmacies to offer strep throat, ear infection care

More than 100 pharmacies in Saskatchewan will soon be authorized to provide strep throat and ear infection testing and treatment.

The pilot project was launched in January 2025 and made permanent last May. Saskatchewan’s Rural and Remote Health Minister Lori Carr said all eligible pharmacies that applied to offer diagnostic services and write prescriptions to treat the ailments have been approved, bringing the total number of pharmacies who will offer services to 102.

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“Families really liked this convenient access,” Carr told reporters at a news conference inside a pharmacy on Friday, adding that her daughter in Estevan, Sask., has used the service for her children.

After pharmacists complete the required training, 34 communities will be equipped to provide strep throat and ear services as of January 2027, Carr said.

“If you do the math, you can see that some communities will benefit from having more than one pharmacy offering the strep and ear program,” she said.

Of the 102 pharmacies participating, 71 will offer care for strep throat and ear services. Thirty-one pharmacies will only offer ear services.