The E-commerce wave has set camp in the pharmacy industry and online pharmacies in Kenya are gaining trend. In no time, lining and waiting hours to fill your prescription at your local chemist will be a thing of the past. Like ducks to water, millenials have fully embraced this new system of service delivery. The convenience that comes with purchasing goods from behind your screens and having them delivered to your doorstep is undeniable. It is therefore understandable why online pharmacies are becoming quite popular.

Most patients, especially those on multiple long-term medications have to refill their meds every other month. Having in mind that a single pharmacy cannot stock all the drugs, the journey from pharmacy to pharmacy in search of medication is exhausting. With the wake of online pharmacies, patients can sigh in relief as medications are only a few taps away.

In this piece, we sample some of the online pharmacies in Kenya

1. MYDAWA

MYDAWA is Kenya’s first registered online pharmacy governed by the pharmacy and poisons board. They boast of a well-established online presence to ensure every Kenyan has access to quality, secure and affordable medicine and wellness products online. This is a one stop shop for all your pharma needs. They sell and deliver both OTC and prescription meds. They also stock beauty products from your favorite brands- Neutrogena, Dr. Organic, you name them

You can download the mydawa app from Play Store and enjoy the convenience that comes with it. You can also rip these benefits by logging on to mydawa.com. Their website is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with a team of well-trained pharm techs and pharmacists to ensure your pharmaceutical needs are met with the utmost care and professionalism

How to order from MYDAWA

Ordering from MYDAWA is easy. With a few clicks and taps from your smartphone or computer, you can save yourself the hustle of going to the pharmacy to refill your prescriptions. You can order from their mydawa.com website or app. If it is your first-time ordering, you may be required to register. Log in to your MYDAWA account and search for what you want to purchase. For prescription medication you will need to upload a clear picture of your prescription.  After, proceed to confirm your method of payment. Upon successful completion of all this, you will receive an SMS with your order number. You will also receive a call to confirm your order before it is dispatched. See, easy peasy!

Orders placed between 8.00 am and 8.00 pm within Nairobi are delivered in 4 hours. Those placed after 8.00 pm are delivered the next day before 10.00 am. Orders outside Nairobi are done after 24hrs. delivery fees may be charged, visit their website to find out

During delivery, you will need to present the following to the pharm tech so as to receive your medication

• Original copy of your prescription
• Your insurance card
• SMS you received with your order number

What forms of payment does MYDAWA accept

MYDAWA accepts the following modes of payment;

• Mpesa
• Bonga points
• Airtel Money
• Equitel Eazzy Pay
• Visa and Mastercard Credit and Debit Cards
• Some Health Insurance Providers

Yes, MYDAWA accepts insurance plans from certain providers.

In the event that you pay more than you are supposed to, the surplus is placed in your account to be used for future purchases.

2. GoodLife

I believe GoodLife needs no introduction as their brilliant purple signature color is one a majority are conversant with. This fast growing pharmacy boasts of 100+ branches scattered all over East Africa. They deal in both OTC and prescription only medications.

Their Over the Counter products range from pharmaceuticals, beauty products and supplements.

Goodlife also offers a range of health services including Blood Pressure, Blood Glucose, Body Mass Index, Malaria diagnosis and Family Nutrition, Doctor Consultations, Laboratory Services, instore advisory services including Mum and Baby consultations and skin care advice in select locations.

Through their excellent customer care services, GoodLife pharmacy is helping the nation look and feel good one prescription at a time.

The ordering process is very simple:

• Select your location and your nearest store.
• Search and add your products to Cart.
• Check out and provide your delivery details
• Select your preferred mode of payment and complete your order

You can pay using your:

• Debit/Credit Card
• Mobile Money (Mpesa &Airtel Money

3. Pharmaplus

With over 50+ branches countrywide, Pharmaplus is taking the market by storm. They offer a wide range of health,beauty and lifestyle products. Armed with a team of qualified professionals, quality products and an easy to use website, pharmaplus has been delivering patient centered care from its numerous branches since 2008.

They stock OTC and prescription only medications. Their beauty line is both extensive and impressive with creams,butters, moisturizers, serums, sunscreens,cleansers,lotions,soaps etc. These beauty products are from top class and crowd favorite brands- Neutrogena, Cerave, Cetaphil, Malibu among others. The lifestyle line is graced by products from Natures Aid, Health Aid, Now, Sundown, Haliborange among other reknown brands.

Besides the products on the shelves, pharmaplus offers free ear piercing,blood sugar and blood pressure tests.

How to order from Pharmaplus

Ordering is done via the easy to use Pharmaplus.co.ke website. From your smartphone,tablet or computer visit the Pharmaplus.co.ke website. From the menu select the product category you need or find it from the search bar. You are encouraged to read details about the products such as ingredients,indication etc at the bottom before adding to cart. Having selected your required product (s) in the needed quantities you can proceed to checkout where you’ll provide deliver information and payment. The branch nearest to you will get in touch to iron out the logistics. Same day delivery is assured. Orders above Ksh 1000 are delivered absolutely free.

A floating WhatsApp chat button is also available for you to engage with the support team should need arise. These services are available 24/7.

What forms of payment does Pharmaplus accept

You can pay for your orders with

• Lipa na Mpesa
• Visa
• Pay cash on delivery

4. Pharmashop

Pharmashop is a registered pharmacy in Kenya fully governed by the Pharmacy and Poisons board. They stock healthcare products, both OTC and prescription meds, as well as beauty and cosmetic products. They also have self-diagnostic kits. If you were in search of blood sugar monitors, Pharmashop might have them for you.

Pharmashop provide their online services via their easy-to-use website and Pharmashop mobile app, downloadable from google playstore and Appstore. Their prescriptions are processed by a team of pharmacists.

How to order from Pharmashop

Pharmashop online pharmacy makes it possible to order medication, medical gadgets and beauty products from the comfort of your home. You can call to order from Pharmashop using the contact numbers provided. You can also order through the pharmashop.co website or pharmashop mobile app in these easy steps

• Log into your pharmashop account. You will need to register if it is your first time ordering
• Search for your product of interest. You can use the search box on the home page if you are looking for a specific item or select CATEGORY from the menu to search based on categories. For prescription medicines, you will be required to upload a clear copy of your prescription
• Pay up. You will receive a confirmation message soon after

Pharmashop offer free home deliveries within Nairobi in less than 3 hours. Deliveries outside Nairobi are made within 24hrs at a fee.

In case you encounter a challenge when ordering, Pharmashop customer service representatives are available to guide and assist.

Pharmashop has a return policy that allows you to return purchased products within 5 days. You can also cancel your order in case you change your mind after which you will receive a refund within 24hrs after authentication.

What forms of payment does Pharmashop accept

You can pay for your orders with

• Lipa na Mpesa
• Visa
• Pay cash on delivery

5. Portal Pharmacy

Portal pharmacy is a relate pharmacy that has been providing quality pharmacare since 1961. They are located in Two Rivers Mall, Ruaka with several branches and affiliate pharmacies in the country. They sell a wide range of pharmaceutical and beauty products.

To hop on the ecommerce wave, Portal Pharmacy now provide their services online through their website and mobile app. You can order medicines (OTC and prescription), skincare products, perfumes, medical devices and home kits from their online platforms and have them delivered to you in hours.

How to order from Portal Pharmacy

The process of placing your order is the same as any other online store.

• Log in to your Portal Pharmacy account.
• Search for your desired product from their variety of products in stock. For prescription medicine, you will be required to upload a clear copy of the prescription
• You will receive a quotation of your medicine and the payment options available. Go ahead and pay
• You will receive a SMS and an email to confirm your order after which it will be dispatched through G4S, Wells Fargo or select matatu courier services.
• Frequent updates will be made along the way. Delivery periods will differ depending on your location

Portal Pharmacy has a no return policy.

What methods of payment does Portal Pharmacy accept

Payment can be made through lipa na Mpesa or Visa cards

Portal Pharmacy only accepts Cigna Insurance at the moment

6. PharmacyDirect Kenya

PharmacyDirect Kenya is another online pharmacy revolutionizing healthcare delivery in the country. Their pharmacy dispensing services are provided by Malibu Pharmacy. They deal with pharmaceutical products, both non-prescription and prescription medicines and non-pharmaceutical products ranging from toiletries to cosmetics. You can order these from their pharmacydirectkenya.com website. They however do not sell prescription drugs online; they only dispense them from their Malibu pharmacies.

In their website, drug products are categorized alphabetically for ease of search. Their prices are displayed below pictures of the products alongside a short description about the drug

How to order online from PharmacyDirect

You can order both prescription (except controlled drugs) and nonprescription medicine from the pharmacydirect.com website. You have to register and log in to the website, search and select what you want to purchase, choose where you want your product delivered to from a dropdown menu that will appear then pay

For prescription drugs, the original copy of the prescription should be posted, scanned, faxed or emailed to their pharmacy.

After payment, you will be contacted through a call or text once your order is dispatched. Deliveries are made within 24 hrs. within Nairobi and 48hrs for those outside Nairobi using the company’s driver. Orders made past 12pm Saturday are dispatched on Monday

What methods of payment does PharmacyDirect accept

PharmacyDirect allows you to pay for your orders through Lipa na Mpesa

Please note;

Information provided here is for educational purposes only and may be subject to changes.

Leave a comment down below on your thoughts about Online Pharmacies in Kenya, and make sure to check out our previous blog post if you haven’t already.