Community pharmacy workforce willingness, readiness, and infrastructural capacity to deliver vaccination services: a cross-sectional survey in Nigeria
Abstract Background There is a growing need for community pharmacists to support universal health coverage by providing vaccination services to address low coverage, as they are among the most accessible healthcare professionals. In some Nigerian states, community pharmacists were trained in vaccina...
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BMC
2025-04-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12655-3 |
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| author | Adewale Aderemi Oladigbolu Ukamaka Gladys Okafor Charles Oluwole Oluwaseyi Omokhafe Mary Ashore |
| author_facet | Adewale Aderemi Oladigbolu Ukamaka Gladys Okafor Charles Oluwole Oluwaseyi Omokhafe Mary Ashore |
| author_sort | Adewale Aderemi Oladigbolu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background There is a growing need for community pharmacists to support universal health coverage by providing vaccination services to address low coverage, as they are among the most accessible healthcare professionals. In some Nigerian states, community pharmacists were trained in vaccination, but there are concerns about their capacity to enroll as vaccination service providers. This study evaluated the community pharmacy workforce willingness, readiness, and infrastructural capacity to deliver vaccination services in Nigeria. Methods We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study using a self-administered structured questionnaire among community pharmacists in Nigeria using a Google Form and administered through WhatsApp platforms. Descriptive statistics were performed on the collected data using SPSS statistical software, version 21. Results Of the 414 community pharmacists sampled, 395 (response rate = 95.4%) were retrieved and included in the final analysis. Although most community pharmacists did not currently practice vaccine administration in their pharmacies (n = 295, 74.9%), most were willing to start administering vaccines (n = 359, 91.3%), participate in routine and supplemental immunization services (n = 373, 95.4%), receive training related to vaccination (n = 374, 95.2%), and encourage patients to get vaccinated in their pharmacies (n = 367, 93.6%). Tetanus vaccine was the most common (n = 158, 40%) among the vaccines administered by the respondents. Infrastructure was inadequate in many critical areas: vaccine-specific equipment (n = 263, 67.8%), safety boxes (n = 216, 55.7%), medical waste bins (n = 178, 45.8%), portable vaccine refrigerators in case of power failures (n = 218, 56.1%), anaphylaxis response kit (n = 340, 87.4%), and anaphylaxis management guidance (n = 346, 88.9%). Barriers to the pharmacists’ willingness to deliver vaccination services were inadequate funds to procure appropriate storage equipment (n = 269, 70.0%), inadequate training (n = 265, 69.1%), conflicts with other professionals (64.4%), concerns about patient safety (n = 185, 47.7%), and handling vaccines and disposal of sharps (n = 182, 47.4%). Conclusions Community pharmacists have indicated their willingness to embrace the advanced role of vaccine administration. The government and other healthcare stakeholders should address the infrastructural gaps and other barriers highlighted in the study to help improve vaccine access and availability. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8eb5b41828564932966bb5b2d0fae4ff |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-8eb5b41828564932966bb5b2d0fae4ff2025-08-20T02:08:08ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632025-04-0125111110.1186/s12913-025-12655-3Community pharmacy workforce willingness, readiness, and infrastructural capacity to deliver vaccination services: a cross-sectional survey in NigeriaAdewale Aderemi Oladigbolu0Ukamaka Gladys Okafor1Charles Oluwole Oluwaseyi2Omokhafe Mary Ashore3National Secretariat, Association of Community Pharmacists of NigeriaDepartment of Global Health and Bioethics, EUCLID UniversityNational Secretariat, Association of Community Pharmacists of NigeriaNational Secretariat, Association of Community Pharmacists of NigeriaAbstract Background There is a growing need for community pharmacists to support universal health coverage by providing vaccination services to address low coverage, as they are among the most accessible healthcare professionals. In some Nigerian states, community pharmacists were trained in vaccination, but there are concerns about their capacity to enroll as vaccination service providers. This study evaluated the community pharmacy workforce willingness, readiness, and infrastructural capacity to deliver vaccination services in Nigeria. Methods We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study using a self-administered structured questionnaire among community pharmacists in Nigeria using a Google Form and administered through WhatsApp platforms. Descriptive statistics were performed on the collected data using SPSS statistical software, version 21. Results Of the 414 community pharmacists sampled, 395 (response rate = 95.4%) were retrieved and included in the final analysis. Although most community pharmacists did not currently practice vaccine administration in their pharmacies (n = 295, 74.9%), most were willing to start administering vaccines (n = 359, 91.3%), participate in routine and supplemental immunization services (n = 373, 95.4%), receive training related to vaccination (n = 374, 95.2%), and encourage patients to get vaccinated in their pharmacies (n = 367, 93.6%). Tetanus vaccine was the most common (n = 158, 40%) among the vaccines administered by the respondents. Infrastructure was inadequate in many critical areas: vaccine-specific equipment (n = 263, 67.8%), safety boxes (n = 216, 55.7%), medical waste bins (n = 178, 45.8%), portable vaccine refrigerators in case of power failures (n = 218, 56.1%), anaphylaxis response kit (n = 340, 87.4%), and anaphylaxis management guidance (n = 346, 88.9%). Barriers to the pharmacists’ willingness to deliver vaccination services were inadequate funds to procure appropriate storage equipment (n = 269, 70.0%), inadequate training (n = 265, 69.1%), conflicts with other professionals (64.4%), concerns about patient safety (n = 185, 47.7%), and handling vaccines and disposal of sharps (n = 182, 47.4%). Conclusions Community pharmacists have indicated their willingness to embrace the advanced role of vaccine administration. The government and other healthcare stakeholders should address the infrastructural gaps and other barriers highlighted in the study to help improve vaccine access and availability.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12655-3VaccinationCommunity pharmacistsWillingnessInfrastructureNigeria |
| spellingShingle | Adewale Aderemi Oladigbolu Ukamaka Gladys Okafor Charles Oluwole Oluwaseyi Omokhafe Mary Ashore Community pharmacy workforce willingness, readiness, and infrastructural capacity to deliver vaccination services: a cross-sectional survey in Nigeria BMC Health Services Research Vaccination Community pharmacists Willingness Infrastructure Nigeria |
| title | Community pharmacy workforce willingness, readiness, and infrastructural capacity to deliver vaccination services: a cross-sectional survey in Nigeria |
| title_full | Community pharmacy workforce willingness, readiness, and infrastructural capacity to deliver vaccination services: a cross-sectional survey in Nigeria |
| title_fullStr | Community pharmacy workforce willingness, readiness, and infrastructural capacity to deliver vaccination services: a cross-sectional survey in Nigeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Community pharmacy workforce willingness, readiness, and infrastructural capacity to deliver vaccination services: a cross-sectional survey in Nigeria |
| title_short | Community pharmacy workforce willingness, readiness, and infrastructural capacity to deliver vaccination services: a cross-sectional survey in Nigeria |
| title_sort | community pharmacy workforce willingness readiness and infrastructural capacity to deliver vaccination services a cross sectional survey in nigeria |
| topic | Vaccination Community pharmacists Willingness Infrastructure Nigeria |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12655-3 |
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