South Asian Research Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SARJPS)
Volume-2 | Issue-05
Original Research Article
The Roles of Pharmacists in Maternal and Child Health of Primary Health Care system
Bunu J. Samuel, Otuaga Michael
Published : Sept. 10, 2020
Abstract
The study was designed to access the involvement of Pharmacists towards achieving the goals of Primary Healthcare activities, especially the childhood components within Asaba and its environs. Patients data (children and pregnant women) were obtained from the public health department of Federal Medical Centre, Asaba including the schedule for immunization, types of vaccines at birth, six weeks, ten weeks, fourteen weeks, six months, nine months and their respective route of administration for the complete stimulation of the immune system. The pregnant women registered for tetanus toxoid injection for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th doses to complete tetanus toxoid for life, were also obtained. These data were carefully analyzed to checkmate the contributions and involvement of Pharmacists in immunization/vaccination and other public health activities. Three months data was used for the study. It was observed that the Pharmacists in the health facility play little or no role in the childhood components of Primary Healthcare. Although the vaccines were stored in the central store of the facility, the custodians of the vaccination activity were the nurses in the public health department of the facility. The most frequent administered vaccines among all were oral polio vaccine, followed by pentavalent vaccine, while measles vaccine was the least. For the tetanus toxoid, there was serious non-adherence issues based on the data analyzed. Pharmacists has a key role to play in educating mothers and families on the safety and adverse reactions of vaccines, as well as practical involvement of public health activities to achieve the ultimate goal of primary healthcare, hence proper compliance and reduction of vaccine preventable diseases.