Equity Afya Opens First Standalone Pharmacy, Targets 1,000 Outlets to Transform Access to Affordable Medicines

Equity Afya has launched its first standalone community pharmacy at Britam Towers in Upper Hill, Nairobi. The flagship outlet is the first in a planned regional network designed to expand access to quality medicines, timely and accessible services and trusted care.

The launch marks a strategic expansion beyond its existing network of 154 medical centres across all 47 counties in Kenya and DRC, each with in-house pharmacies, into a dedicated community-facing retail pharmacy. The new pharmacy offers complimentary blood pressure and blood sugar screening services, empowering individuals to take proactive steps towards managing their health, make informed decisions, and seek timely medical support when needed, through referral to our Equity Afya Clinics. In addition, the pharmacy offers wellness and nutrition guidance to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and enhance overall wellbeing, supporting individuals and families to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

The community pharmacy builds on the success of the Equity Afya model, which is a direct outcome of Equity Group Foundation’s long-standing investment in education, leadership development, and human capital through the Equity Leaders Program (ELP). Through these efforts, EGF has awarded over 60,009 scholarships, supported 35,353 university scholars in successfully gaining admission to local and global universities, and nurtured a pipeline of skilled professionals who are transforming communities across various sectors, including healthcare. Among the alumni of the ELP program is a network of medical entrepreneurs and franchisee doctors who have qualified in the medical field and now run and manage Equity Afya medical centres through its franchise model. Equity Afya has grown to become one of Africa’s largest franchised primary healthcare networks, providing accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare services, and serving an average of 130,000 patients every month.

Speaking at the opening of this first outlet, Equity Group Foundation Executive Chairman, Dr. James Mwangi, stated that the expansion from clinical care into community pharmacy is a further step into the Group’s core mission to foster social and economic transformation by ensuring access to essential and quality medicines for all Kenyans.

“Today, very few Kenyans have convenient access to a licensed pharmacy, underscoring deep inequalities that leave vast populations underserved and excluded from essential care. This contributes to suboptimal health outcomes and ultimately constrains Kenya’s economic resilience. Against this backdrop, we are launching a transformative solution. Through this franchise model, our strategic objective is to enhance access to high-quality, affordable medicine and integrated healthcare, to reduce the cost of medicine by 50% to 80% while significantly expanding access to safe and effective pharmaceutical care for all Kenyans,” he said.

The Gates Foundation Regional Director for Africa Paulin Basinga, while speaking at the event, said the partnership is a model for “the future of Africa,” where private-sector expertise is applied to solve critical social challenges. He praised Equity’s proven ability to combine a powerful business mindset with community impact and affirmed the foundation’s role in providing the strategic impetus to help launch the network and de-risk its expansion.

“We are thrilled to partner with Equity Group Foundation because this initiative is a perfect example of our core belief: harnessing private-sector know-how to solve the biggest social problems. Our support is catalytic, designed to help unlock this scalable model. Our shared goal is to see these Equity Afya pharmacies expand into rural areas, not only here in Kenya but across the continent, because this is how we can truly solve the biggest health challenges and lift communities up.”

Professor Isaac Macharia, Chairman of the Equity Group Holdings Plc, further explained that the network will be built on a unique foundation of talent and trust, empowering entrepreneurs from the Group’s own Equity Leadership Program (ELP) to run the franchises, with an ambitious target of opening 1,000 pharmacies.

Equity Group Foundation Director, Operations, Dr. Joanne Korir, added that the pharmacy, leveraging Equity Afya’s already established brand trust, was designed to respond to noted health-seeking patterns, while reinforcing affordability.

“This pharmacy is a demonstration of our integrated approach to healthcare. By connecting patients to a reliable source of medicine and preventive health services, we are creating a seamless journey from diagnosis to recovery, ensuring they receive the treatments they need, at a fair price, from people they can trust.”

The launch of this first Equity Afya Pharmacy marks a significant milestone in the Group’s broader healthcare transformation agenda, reinforcing its commitment to delivering integrated, accessible, and patient-centred care. As Equity Afya continues to scale its network across Kenya and the region, the introduction of dedicated community pharmacies is expected to play a critical role in strengthening primary healthcare delivery, improving access to essential medicines, and enhancing patient trust in quality-assured pharmaceutical services. This initiative further underscores Equity Group’s long-term vision of building resilient health systems that empower individuals, support communities, and drive inclusive socio-economic development.

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