By Gift Briton
Pharmacies are emerging as key service points for family planning and reproductive health services in Kenya.
Many women and girls now prefer accessing contraceptives at private pharmacies rather than public facilities, despite the latter offering them at little to no cost. This shift is driven by the easier and more private access that pharmacies provide.
For years, the public sector has been the primary source of contraceptives. However, experts argue that the private sector can play a bigger role in expanding access to family planning services while easing pressure on public health facilities.
“Family planning is a development agenda,” Yasmin Chandani, CEO of InSupply Health, explains during a workshop in Nairobi on developing demand creation and awareness for the family planning roadmap.
“Any country that has progressed economically has done so by investing in family planning. As Kenya moves from a lower to a middle-income country, our health system must evolve to meet girls’ and women’s needs.”
Recognizing this potential, the Kenyan government revised its National Family Planning Guidelines 2018. This update allowed pharmacies to provide more than just condoms and oral contraceptives. Now, they can offer advanced family planning methods, including injectable contraceptives.
Since then, organizations like InSupply Health have worked with the Ministry of Health to build the capacity of pharmacies. Through targeted training programs, pharmacists and pharmaceutical technologists are now equipped with the knowledge and skills to provide advanced family planning services beyond just dispensing condoms and contraceptives.
“Pharmacy is often the first place people go when they have a health concern,” says Wanjiru Munene, Regional Manager for Market Access and Shaping at InSupply Health. “If we can fully utilize pharmacies as healthcare hubs, we can expand access to essential services for millions of Kenyans.”
During the training, pharmacies are encouraged to redesign their spaces to ensure privacy for consultations. Some are creating designated areas where women can receive family planning advice without fear of stigma. Others are now exploring digital safe spaces, allowing clients to access counselling virtually before picking up their contraceptives.
“Women want privacy, convenience, and a well-informed provider who can answer their questions,” Munene notes. “Pharmacies are well-positioned to offer this. We are convinced that pharmacies are the next frontiers when it comes to expanded healthcare services and primary healthcare services.”
The five-day training equips pharmacists with skills in contraceptive eligibility, counselling, and quality service delivery. Over 500 pharmacies nationwide have benefited.
To be accredited as family planning providers, pharmacies must demonstrate the ability to offer private, safe spaces for counselling. This ensures clients receive discreet guidance on suitable contraceptive methods. The training emphasizes client-centred care, enabling pharmacists to provide not just contraceptives but also professional support tailored to individual health needs and preferences.
