Pharmacy First: Sustaining and Scaling Post Medication Abortion (MA) Contraceptive Services in Kenyan Community Pharmacies
The PMAC model has demonstrated clear wins for clients (through personalized care) and the health system (by positioning pharmacies as accessible contraceptive outlets). But the third leg of the triangle – the provider – remains less understood: Can pharmacies profit while delivering these services? To explore this, the project engaged health economists in 2024 to answer three key questions: 1) What pharmacy business models best support the sustainability of PMAC services? 2) Can contraceptive services be a profitable part of pharmacy practice? 3) How efficiently are pharmacists converting MA clients to contraceptive users? This brief summarizes the findings from that inquiry. It explores whether community pharmacists see PMAC services as good business – and what it would take to scale this model to other pharmacies across Kenya.