COMMUNITY PHARMACY ROLE IN UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE IN MOMBASA COUNTY

Community pharmacy role in universal health coverage was a qualitative study that entailed close contact to the role played by community pharmacies in healthcare provision. As a "small healthcare" in provision of pharmaceutical services, community pharmacies are required to be included in realization of Universal Health Coverage in Mombasa since it is among the Big 4 Agenda of the national government (MOH, 2013). The objective of the study was to determine community pharmacy role in universal health coverage. A descriptive cross sectional study design was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data and the design estimate the prevalence of the outcome of interest commonly for the purpose of public health planning. A sample size of 196 was calculated using fishers formula. Data was collected using in-depth interviews and structured questionnaire were administered on a target population of community pharmacies health providers and clients seeking services respectively. The collected data was analysed using SPSS version 20 and interpreted using tables and pie charts. On community pharmacy practitioners respondents; 58% were male, 90.3% diploma holders in pharmacy, 39.8% registered with PPB and 65% had practised for less than two years. 78% of the respondents agree that community pharmacy has a role in UHC and there was 74% affordability of community pharmacy medicines. Bivariate analysis findings show that training and inspection on UHC (P=0.003) Covid 19 (p=0.000) and inspection fee (p=0.000). Accessibility; location of community pharmacies (p=0.000) and doctors attitudes (p=0.000). Essential medicines; acyclovir 200mg tablets (p=0.000), chlorpromazine 100mg tablets (p=0.000) and tetanus toxoid vaccine (p=0.000). Key determinants of community pharmacy role in UHC were diploma (AOR 666.7; CI 129.6-3429.5), Erythromycin 125mg suspension (AOR 120.3; CI 15.4-940.8), Acyclovir 200mg tablets (AOR 46.823; CI 17.7-124.1) and Occupation (AOR 45.271; CI 15.363-133.404. The study recommends reduction of tax on essential medicines, MOH revise the UHC policy to incorporate community pharmacies and empowerment on management of controlled drugs and vaccines in order to realize effective and efficient UHC in Kenya