Kenya hosts over 600,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers, with many more undocumented migrants living and working in Nairobi’s Eastleigh, Kawangware, Githurai, and other informal neighborhoods. While Kenya’s public healthcare system has made strides in providing free contraceptives, access remains limited or non-existent for many in these migrant communities.
Sayana Press (DMPA-SC), a self-injectable contraceptive, has been launched in Kenya today for distribution in the private pharmacy sector—a move health stakeholders say will expand access to family planning options for millions of women, particularly those in underserved urban communities as well as migrant and refugee women.
The launch event, hosted at the Pullman Hotel in Nairobi by Phillips Therapeutics Limited in collaboration with Kenya’s Ministry of Health, marks the first time that the self-injectable contraceptive will be accessible directly through retail pharmacies. The move is expected to enhance convenience, privacy, and self-reliance for women who cannot easily access public health facilities—especially urban migrants, refugees, and undocumented women living in informal settlements.
“This marks a major step forward in Kenya’s family planning strategy. With retail access, we’re bringing contraceptive choices closer to where women live and work,” said Newton Siele, CEO of Phillips Therapeutics.
Invisible Women, Forgotten Needs
Kenya hosts over 600,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers, with many more undocumented migrants living and working in Nairobi’s Eastleigh, Kawangware, Githurai, and other informal neighborhoods. While Kenya’s public healthcare system has made strides in providing free contraceptives, access remains limited or non-existent for many in these migrant communities.
Language barriers, fear of arrest, stigma from healthcare workers, and financial constraints routinely prevent refugee and migrant women from seeking family planning services. For them, the launch of Sayana Press in retail outlets presents an alternative path.
According to the Guttmacher Institute (2023), only 34% of refugee women in East Africa who want to avoid pregnancy are using modern contraception, compared to 57% in the general population. The same report shows that 22% of women globally are still not accessing any modern method of contraception.
A Tool for Dignity and Choice
Sayana Press is a small, discreet, pre-filled injectable device that delivers a dose of progestin—effective for up to 13 weeks. Unlike traditional injectables that require a health worker’s administration, Sayana Press is designed for self-injection with minimal training.
Already approved in over 80 countries, the method has seen success where introduced through community-based and retail channels. Kenya approved it for self-injection in 2018, but until now, it was only available through public clinics and trained health workers.
With this retail rollout, the country is aligning with a model that favors choice, mobility, and autonomy—particularly important for mobile populations like migrants and refugees who are often excluded from fixed healthcare systems.
Access Isn’t Equity—Yet
Despite the optimism, activists warn that cost could be a major barrier. While Sayana Press is available for free in public health facilities, retail pharmacies may charge prices out of reach for many low-income earners.
Phillips Therapeutics says it is working closely with the Ministry of Health and other partners to train more pharmacists and scale awareness. Since 2021, over 500 pharmacists and pharmaceutical technologists have been trained across Kenya, with more to follow.
Beyond Borders
As conflicts and economic instability continue to drive migration across Africa, the need for inclusive reproductive health solutions grows more urgent. Kenya’s urban areas are increasingly becoming home to displaced populations, and family planning remains both a health and human rights concern.
For Halima, and thousands like her, the availability of Sayana Press could mean one less barrier in a life filled with uncertainty.
Snapshot
- Product: Sayana Press (DMPA-SC) — self-injectable contraceptive, effective for 13 weeks
- Now Available: At private retail pharmacies across Kenya
- Target Groups: All women of reproductive age; especially underserved groups including urban migrants and refugees
- Unmet Need: 66% of refugee women in East Africa are not using modern contraceptives (Guttmacher, 2023)
- Trained Providers: 500+ pharmacy professionals across Kenya since 2021
