No be small matter o! As e be now, our beloved Nigeria dey carry heavy load of pikin wey never receive any vaccination. Na over two million of dem dey waka about without any protection against diseases wey fit kill dem. E don reach time wey we go serious about this matter, and na wetin pharmacists don talk be dis! Dem don dub demselves as key players wey fit help for dis vaccination wahala.
Pharmacists no be just people wey dey sell drugs o, dem dey fit be first responders wey go help our healthcare system get better. According to Dr. Olumide Obube, wey be ex vice chairman of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria for Ogun State, if we fit give pharmacists chance to dey vaccinate children for community level, e go help reduce the number of zero-dose pikin wey dey our streets. Make we no forget say na community pharmacies go fit reach out to these pikin quicker, especially for areas wey health centres no dey strong.
Dem don drop serious statistics wey show say 31% of children wey dey between 12–23 months no don ever receive any vaccine. Na big wahala be dis, and e show say we get serious gap for our primary healthcare system, especially for the areas wey hard to reach. Dr. Obube dey talk say if we fit change dis narrative, we go save many lives and make sure say no child dey left behind. Wetin make sense be say, community pharmacies dey ready and dey eager to help deliver immunisation services.
As e be now, na una, the Policymakers, dey hold the key to how far we go fit go. Dem need to make sure say pharmacists fit enter inside the national immunisation strategy. No be to just dey sit down dey look, but to make actual moves wey go help improve vaccine access and safety. Na 10% coverage we dey talk about currently, and dis level no dey make sense for our population size. If hospitals fit involve pharmacies, e go make plenty sense for our people who dey find where to go for healthcare.
Dr. Obube dey urge dem to recalibrate the healthcare settings make e fit house pharmacists as full members of the team wey dey strategise how to tackle public health issues. No be say dem dey waste time, but dem dey help make healthcare dey more holistic for everyone. Also, if pharmacists fit enter the scene for digital health and public health services, e go really help boost our overall healthcare delivery.
Aliyu Tanko wey be PSN President, don also shout say pharmacists need to be integrated into primary healthcare. Dem dey underutilised at this level, and e no go fit continue so. We go need serious reforms for our health system wey go ensure pharmacists work hand in hand with doctors at the grassroots level. We suppose fit meet up with global standards plus local awareness. As we dey face this severe health challenge, we go need to think quick and take action before e go too late.
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
