The first smart pharmacy in East China's Zhejiang province opens in Anji county, Huzhou. [Photo/hz66.com]

The first smart pharmacy in East China's Zhejiang province recently opened in Anji county, Huzhou.

Situated on Puyuan Road in Changshuo sub-district, the pharmacy has no staff or pharmacists, with the drugs being kept in glass cabinets.

Customers are able to purchase medicine through a self-help machine and opt to pay via platforms like WeChat and Alipay or through health insurance cards. Medicine can be obtained within a minute after payment.

At present, about 800 products, including prescription drugs and medical devices, are available in the store, which is open 24 hours a day.

In addition, people can also ask some simple questions through the self-help machine before buying drugs, as it is connected with some local internet hospitals.

The store, which provides integrated services from medical advice to drug purchase and settlement, will offer huge conveniences for patients with chronic diseases who need to visit the hospital regularly.

The launch of this smart pharmacy comes as part of the city's broad push to improve the security and availability of medicine for local residents, according to a head official from the Huzhou municipal bureau of market supervision.