Background:Globally,the use of community pharmacies and pharmacists in the delivery of vaccination services has been hampered by several factors,laws,and regulations that do not support pharmacists to participate in t...Background:Globally,the use of community pharmacies and pharmacists in the delivery of vaccination services has been hampered by several factors,laws,and regulations that do not support pharmacists to participate in the delivery of vaccination services.With the advent of COVID-19 pandemic,many countries have included community pharmacists and pharmacies in vaccination services to improve coverage.This study described the delivery of vaccination services in community pharmacies using the COVID-19 experience and how their involvement impacted vaccination coverage in Nigeria.It also exposed how this experience can be used to support policy revisions to formally recognize pharmacists in immunization delivery.Methods:A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 474 community pharmacists in two southwestern States in Nigeria,using a semi-structured questionnaire.It determines the number of community pharmacists who have been trained in the delivery of vaccination services,the types of vaccination services provided,and vaccines administered in their pharmacies.Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics and p-value at≤0.05.Results:Response rate was 86.7%.Less than half of the respondents(40.1%)had undergone vaccination training.Of the 129(31.4%)respondents that provide vaccination services,72(55.8%)administer vaccines in their pharmacies.Out of these 72 respondents;45(62.5%)were administering vaccines before their involvement in COVID-19 vaccine administration;57(79.2%)of the health personnel who administer vaccines were pharmacists;60(83.3%)of them administer vaccines on request;22(30.6%)administered COVID-19 vaccines only;and only 7(9.7%)of the respondents had administered over 500 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.Training in vaccination was associated with the vaccination services provided(p<0.05).Respondents suggested government support through legal framework and policy review,training and empowering pharmacists in vaccine administration,and recognition of community pharmacists as PHC providers.展开更多
In response to the situation of the African healthcare system,the African Medicines Agency(AMA)was established by the African Union(AU)to regulate access to medicines and support the local manufacture of medications.T...In response to the situation of the African healthcare system,the African Medicines Agency(AMA)was established by the African Union(AU)to regulate access to medicines and support the local manufacture of medications.This study aimed to describe the factors that enabled the establishment of the African Medicines Agency and its successes,challenges,and perceived benefits.We reviewed data sources that explored the progress and challenges of the African Medicines Agency and Medicines Regulation in Africa.The SPIDER framework was used to organise the research focus and to extract the keywords for the literature search.The study data were obtained from PubMed Central,ScienceDirect,and Google Scholar.Out of 249 studies screened,19 were selected for this narrative review.Critical successes observed in the agency's establishment include the appointment of a Special Envoy,the selection of its headquarters,and the signing of its treaty by 37 member states.However,it is hindered by poor political commitment,differences in riskbenefits interpretation and organizational structure,weak legal and regulatory frameworks,inadequate financial mechanisms,and inadequate political and policy leadership in some member states.The value of AMA in achieving optimal health outcomes and its other benefits must be considered despite the challenges being encountered.Therefore,all member states should adopt the best procedures in signing and ratifying the treaty and implementing associated commitments to improve efficiency and accountability in African medicine regulation.展开更多
文摘Background:Globally,the use of community pharmacies and pharmacists in the delivery of vaccination services has been hampered by several factors,laws,and regulations that do not support pharmacists to participate in the delivery of vaccination services.With the advent of COVID-19 pandemic,many countries have included community pharmacists and pharmacies in vaccination services to improve coverage.This study described the delivery of vaccination services in community pharmacies using the COVID-19 experience and how their involvement impacted vaccination coverage in Nigeria.It also exposed how this experience can be used to support policy revisions to formally recognize pharmacists in immunization delivery.Methods:A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 474 community pharmacists in two southwestern States in Nigeria,using a semi-structured questionnaire.It determines the number of community pharmacists who have been trained in the delivery of vaccination services,the types of vaccination services provided,and vaccines administered in their pharmacies.Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics and p-value at≤0.05.Results:Response rate was 86.7%.Less than half of the respondents(40.1%)had undergone vaccination training.Of the 129(31.4%)respondents that provide vaccination services,72(55.8%)administer vaccines in their pharmacies.Out of these 72 respondents;45(62.5%)were administering vaccines before their involvement in COVID-19 vaccine administration;57(79.2%)of the health personnel who administer vaccines were pharmacists;60(83.3%)of them administer vaccines on request;22(30.6%)administered COVID-19 vaccines only;and only 7(9.7%)of the respondents had administered over 500 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.Training in vaccination was associated with the vaccination services provided(p<0.05).Respondents suggested government support through legal framework and policy review,training and empowering pharmacists in vaccine administration,and recognition of community pharmacists as PHC providers.
文摘In response to the situation of the African healthcare system,the African Medicines Agency(AMA)was established by the African Union(AU)to regulate access to medicines and support the local manufacture of medications.This study aimed to describe the factors that enabled the establishment of the African Medicines Agency and its successes,challenges,and perceived benefits.We reviewed data sources that explored the progress and challenges of the African Medicines Agency and Medicines Regulation in Africa.The SPIDER framework was used to organise the research focus and to extract the keywords for the literature search.The study data were obtained from PubMed Central,ScienceDirect,and Google Scholar.Out of 249 studies screened,19 were selected for this narrative review.Critical successes observed in the agency's establishment include the appointment of a Special Envoy,the selection of its headquarters,and the signing of its treaty by 37 member states.However,it is hindered by poor political commitment,differences in riskbenefits interpretation and organizational structure,weak legal and regulatory frameworks,inadequate financial mechanisms,and inadequate political and policy leadership in some member states.The value of AMA in achieving optimal health outcomes and its other benefits must be considered despite the challenges being encountered.Therefore,all member states should adopt the best procedures in signing and ratifying the treaty and implementing associated commitments to improve efficiency and accountability in African medicine regulation.
