"Consisting of 42 clinics, 26 pharmacies, and 32 chemical shops, the franchise follows a multi-tiered model designed to increase access to family planning (FP) commodities for underserved communities, and to encourage SRH referrals for clinical services for all who need them. BlueStar aims to engage women new to long-term FP methods and to make safe abortion services available to the underserved. All of BlueStar’s clients pay out of pocket for services, and the majority are women.
Chemical shops are frequently the first stop for Ghanaians looking for basic health provisions. The shops’ FP commodities generally include condoms, oral contraceptives, and emergency contraception (EC). BlueStar strategically selects shops located in underserved areas in an attempt to reach people who otherwise would not have access to FP counseling, commodities, and services. For most chemical sellers and pharmacists, FP commodities represent a very small portion of their business and income. BlueStar, however, makes this segment more compelling, with a goal of raising it from 3 – 7% of sales to 10 – 15%.
BlueStar supports franchisees with branding, training, community demand creation events, and clinical and marketing technical assistance. It also provides free supplies for medical and clinical abortions and post-abortion care, including manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) equipment. In exchange for these benefits, fran¬chisees agree to routine supervision, submission of monthly reports, adherence to specified quality standards, and an annual franchise fee of US$70 for clinics, $50 for pharmacies, and $30 for chemical shops. All franchisees interviewed cited training, particularly in FP counseling and business skills, as the main reason they joined BlueStar.” (UCSF Clinical Social Franchising Case Study Series, September 2009).