On-Duty Pharmacies in Cotonou: Find This Week's (2026)

Three in the morning. The fever is climbing, the medicine cabinet is empty. At that hour only one question matters: which pharmacy is on duty? This page gives you the official source of the schedule for Cotonou, two private services that can help, and the numbers to call if things turn urgent.

In Benin, on-call duty is an obligation. Its calendar is set by the Ordre National des Pharmaciens du Bénin (ONPB, the National Order of Pharmacists), and that calendar is the reference.

The essentials (information checked on 4 October 2026)

• The official schedule is on onpb.bj, menu "Tour de garde, des pharmacies du Bénin", by department: Littoral for Cotonou.
• In Abomey-Calavi or Godomey? See the Abomey-Calavi on-duty pharmacy guide (in French).
• It is published weekly: the site shows, for example, the schedule for 28 September to 4 October 2026.
• Medical emergency: 112 (SAMU, free call). Fire brigade: 118. Police: 117.
• Since 30 November 2024, every Beninese number is written with the prefix 01 in front of the 8 digits.

The ONPB's official schedule

Open onpb.bj and go to "Tour de garde, des pharmacies du Bénin". Schedules are sorted by department: Atacora / Donga / Borgou / Alibori, Zou / Collines / Mono / Couffo, Ouémé / Plateau, Atlantique and Littoral.

For Cotonou, take Littoral, then the current week, dates included. Abomey-Calavi belongs to another department, Atlantique: its schedule has its own guide on abomey-calavi.com (in French).

The ONPB answers Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. then 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., in Cotonou: +229 51 878 454 or +229 95 865 484, contact@onpb.bj (details published on onpb.bj; dial them with the 01 prefix if your phone does not recognise the 8 digits). A quick call to the pharmacy before you set off is still the best habit.

Two private services, as a complement

The ONPB calendar is the one that counts. Two private services can still save you time, especially from a phone.

Vihintoh presents itself as a health platform for Benin: open pharmacy, clinic, health centre, home care, useful numbers. Its "pharmacie de garde" page offers entry points for Cotonou, Porto-Novo and other areas, based on public data: Vihintoh, pharmacie de garde.

PharMap is a mobile app (iOS and Android), also usable on WhatsApp, created in 2021 by a Beninese startup. It lets you look for a pharmacy in an area, or check whether a medicine is available: PharMap, introduced in the press.

Neither service is official, and nothing guarantees their data is as fresh as the week's schedule. When in doubt, the ONPB settles it.

Emergency numbers

SAMU-Bénin answers on 112, free of charge, 24 hours a day (Ministry of Health). Its other published lines: +229 01 68 30 00 00 and +229 01 68 30 09 09. The fire brigade is on 118, the national police on 117.

For a life-threatening emergency, forget the pharmacy: call 112. Our guide to medical emergencies and the SAMU in Cotonou covers what comes next.

What the official framework says

Pharmacist-owners must take part in the on-call service and follow the ONPB calendar, under regulatory provisions. It is not theoretical: on 2 July 2021 the Beninese Pharmaceutical Regulation Agency (ABRP) suspended a pharmacy in Sèmè-Podji for 72 hours for not respecting its on-call rota, after several formal notices (government announcement, 8 July 2021).

Frequently asked questions

How do I know which pharmacy is on duty this week?

On onpb.bj, "Tour de garde, des pharmacies du Bénin": choose the Littoral department, then the current week. For Abomey-Calavi (Atlantique department), see the Abomey-Calavi guide.

Who sets the duty calendar?

The Ordre National des Pharmaciens du Bénin. Pharmacist-owners must follow it, and the ABRP can sanction a failure.

What do I do in a medical emergency?

Call 112 (SAMU, free). Fire brigade: 118. Police: 117.

Why does a pharmacy's number not connect?

Since 30 November 2024, Beninese numbers have gone from 8 to 10 digits: you add the prefix 01 in front of the old number (ARCEP announcement).

Official sources (checked on 4 October 2026)

• Ordre National des Pharmaciens du Bénin (onpb.bj): duty schedules by department, contact (consulted on 4 October 2026, schedules shown up to 4 October 2026).
• Government of Benin, « Pour non-respect des tours de garde : une pharmacie suspendue pour 72 heures », 8 July 2021.
• ARCEP Bénin, switch from 8 to 10-digit numbers, from 30 November 2024; national numbering plan, emergency services.
• Ministry of Health, Numéros d'urgence sanitaires: SAMU 112.