Pharmacists immunisation services could expand vaccine coverage and reduce Nigeria’s high number of zero-dose children, experts say

Nigerian pharmacists have called for the formal inclusion of community pharmacies in routine immunisation services, warning that gaps in vaccine coverage continue to leave millions of children vulnerable to preventable diseases.

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Health experts said integrating pharmacies into the national immunisation framework would help reduce the number of zero-dose children, particularly in underserved communities where primary healthcare centres are overstretched or poorly utilised.

Nigeria currently bears the highest global burden of unvaccinated children, with more than two million yet to receive a single dose of any routine vaccine, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund.

Speaking with PUNCH Healthwise, the immediate past Vice Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Ogun State chapter, Dr Olumide Obube, said pharmacists remain one of the most accessible healthcare professionals across the country.

Dr Obube said with proper regulation, training and oversight, pharmacist-led vaccination could complement existing public health efforts and strengthen disease prevention strategies nationwide.

He noted that data shows approximately 31 per cent of children aged between 12 and 23 months have never received any routine vaccination, describing the figure as a reflection of deep-seated weaknesses in primary healthcare outreach.

According to him, community-based solutions are essential to closing access gaps, especially in hard-to-reach, urban and peri-urban areas where pharmacies often serve as the first point of care.

Dr Obube said pharmacies represent an underutilised but critical workforce in achieving national and global immunisation targets, citing public trust, proximity and professional expertise as key advantages.

He urged policymakers to prioritise regulatory reforms and capacity building to allow pharmacies to operate as strategic partners within the immunisation system, stressing that equity in vaccine access remains a pressing concern.

Beyond immunisation, Dr Obube said strengthening the role of community pharmacies would ease pressure on hospitals, as many patients currently crowd secondary and tertiary facilities for minor conditions that could be effectively managed at licensed pharmacies.

He added that task-shifting models, including structured screening and referral systems for diseases such as malaria and HIV, are already gaining traction and could be expanded with adequate oversight.

The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Mr Aliyu Tanko, had earlier said pharmacists’ expertise remains largely absent at the primary healthcare level, despite their potential contribution to public health programmes.

Mr Tanko said full integration of pharmacists into national health initiatives remains one of the society’s key expectations from government in 2026.

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Health experts warned that without decisive reforms in health financing, workforce stability and primary healthcare coordination, Nigeria risks perpetuating inequities and missing critical opportunities to protect children from preventable diseases.