Equity Afya opens flagship standalone community pharmacy in Nairobi

KENYA—Equity Afya has opened its first standalone community pharmacy at Britam Towers in Nairobi’s Upper Hill, marking a major step in the healthcare provider’s efforts to expand access to affordable medicines and primary healthcare services across Kenya and the wider region.

The new outlet serves as the flagship branch in a planned pharmacy network that will complement Equity Afya’s existing healthcare infrastructure.

The move broadens the organization’s reach beyond its 154 medical centres operating across Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo, many of which already house in-house pharmacies.

Expanding Access to Affordable Healthcare

The community pharmacy offers prescription and over-the-counter medicines alongside free blood pressure and blood sugar screening services.

Patients can also receive wellness and nutrition counselling and, where necessary, referrals to nearby Equity Afya clinics for further medical attention.

According to Equity Group Foundation Executive Chairman Dr. James Mwangi, the expansion reflects the Group’s commitment to improving access to quality healthcare and essential medicines.

He noted that many Kenyans still face challenges accessing licensed pharmacies, particularly in underserved areas, resulting in health inequalities and poor treatment outcomes.

To address this gap, Equity Afya plans to use a franchise model to increase the availability of quality medicines while lowering treatment costs.

Dr. Mwangi said the organization aims to reduce medicine costs by between 50% and 80%, making healthcare more affordable for households while strengthening access to safe pharmaceutical services.

Built on the Equity Leaders Program

The pharmacy initiative builds on the success of the Equity Afya model, which emerged from the Equity Group Foundation’s long-running investment in education and leadership development through the Equity Leaders Program (ELP).

Over the years, the Foundation has awarded more than 60,000 scholarships and supported over 35,000 students in securing admission to local and international universities.

Many graduates have gone on to become healthcare professionals and entrepreneurs within the Equity Afya network.

Today, Equity Afya serves an average of 130,000 patients every month and has grown into one of Africa’s largest franchised primary healthcare networks.

Gates Foundation backs expansion

The initiative has received support from the Gates Foundation, whose Regional Director for Africa, Paulin Basinga, described the partnership as an example of how private-sector expertise can address major social challenges.

He said the Foundation’s support is intended to help scale the model and facilitate expansion into rural communities across Kenya and eventually other African countries.

Equity Group Holdings Chairman Prof. Isaac Macharia revealed that the pharmacy network will be operated through a franchise system led by entrepreneurs drawn from the Equity Leaders Program.

The Group is targeting the establishment of 1,000 pharmacies over time.

Part of a broader growth strategy

The pharmacy launch comes as Equity Group continues to diversify its operations beyond banking.

In its recently released first-quarter 2026 results, the Group reported a 24% increase in profit after tax to KSh19.1 billion (US$147 million), while total assets rose to KSh2.04 trillion (US$15.7 billion).

During the same period, Equity Afya recorded more than 4.9 million cumulative patient visits through its expanding network of medical centres.

Equity Group Foundation Director of Operations Dr. Joanne Korir said the new pharmacy strengthens Equity Afya’s integrated healthcare model by linking patients to reliable medicines, preventive services and follow-up care within a trusted healthcare ecosystem.