Pharmacy Short Learning Programme
Pharmacy Short Learning Programme
Immunisation and Injection Techniques for Pharmacists
Immunisation and Injection Techniques for Pharmacists (IITP)
About the Course
The benefits of vaccination as the most cost effective public health intervention is evident in all sectors of society. Globally, before the advent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), vaccination against a range of other vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) targeted by national Expanded Programmes on Immunisation (EPI) of all the World Health Organization (WHO) member countries, saved 4-5 million lives every year.
Although significant strides have been made in strengthening the National Department of Health (NDoH) of South Africa’s EPI (EPI-SA) over time, fully immunised under one year-old coverage (FIC) remains suboptimal among other vaccination programmes.
Pharmacists are highly trained healthcare professionals, and are well placed within all South African communities, both rural and urban, to deliver primary healthcare services as the first point of contact for most South African citizens. Thus, the School of Pharmacy answered the South African Pharmacy Council’s (SAPC) call to develop a programme to train pharmacists as vaccinators to assist in improving vaccination coverage for all vaccines within EPI-SA and any other relevant vaccination programme.
Purpose of the Course
The long-term goal of this short course is to improve the performance of immunisation programmes and services in South Africa, by capacitating pharmacists to deliver vaccination services and promote vaccination with confidence, thereby increasing public demand for vaccination, which will in turn increase vaccination coverage and reduce the burden of VPDs in South Africa.
Aim of the course
To capacitate pharmacists with comprehensive vaccination related theoretical knowledge and practical skills to ensure that they are competent in providing high quality vaccination services and advocating for vaccination in South Africa.
Overall outcomes of the course
Upon completion of the course the learner will be able to
- provide immunisation services in compliance with legal and regulatory standards;
- advocate for immunisation, including addressing vaccine hesitancy and building public demand for vaccination;
- understand and apply immunisation principles and immunisation schedules;
- manage the cold chain and logistics for all vaccines;
- safely administer vaccines via all prescribed routes and monitor vaccine safety;
- record and document all required vaccination information; and
- collaborate with other immunisation stakeholders to improve the availability and access to immunisation services
Course topics
The key topics and sub-topics covered in this short course are outlined in Table 3. These topics and sub-topics will be presented as five modules (see Section 10.1) and a practical workshop (see Section 10.2).
Table 3: Modules and key topics covered in the short course
Module Key topics MODULE 1 Basic vaccinology and vaccination schedules · Immunisation principles
· Different types of vaccines
· Vaccination schedules for different programmes and different age groups
· Vaccination catch-up schedules
MODULE 2 Cold-chain management and logistics · Correctly packing and cleaning a vaccine refrigerator
· Packing of cold boxes for transportation
· Monitoring and maintaining the correct temperatures of vaccines during storage and transportation, including the use of vaccine vial monitors
· When why and how to do the shake test
· Following the multi-dose vial policy
· The importance of following written standard operating procedures
MODULE 3 Safe administration of vaccines · Preparation the vaccination station
· Vaccination-related history taking, paying special attention to precautions and contraindications for vaccination
· Vaccination-related counselling and obtaining informed consent (pre-vaccination informed consent; pre/post vaccination counselling)
· Vaccine preparation for administration
· Vaccine administering techniques
· Record keeping and documentation following vaccination
· Waste disposal following vaccination (sharps/medical waste)
MODULE 4 Vaccine safety and pharmacovigilance · Principles of vaccine pharmacovigilance and adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs)
· Observation post-vaccination and communication about potential AEFIs
· Emergency management of adverse events post-vaccination, including anaphylaxis
MODULE 5 Stakeholder engagement, vaccine advocacy, communication and social mobilisation · Engagement with relevant stakeholders to expand access to immunisation services
· Essential information that must be given to people
· Different types of explanations and communication strategies
· Countering anti-vaccination myths while building trust in vaccination
Course Fees
COURSE FEES: R5 400
Candidates are responsible for the full course fee before the commencement of the course.
Banking Details:
Account name: Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University
Bank name: Standard Bank
Account no.: 071244395
Branch no.: 020909
Reference no.: “Your ID/Passport number” (This step is very important for us to trace your payment.)
PLEASE NOTE THAT NO REGISTRATION FORM WILL BE PROCESSED WITHOUT ALL THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION
Course Contact and Enquiries
All course correspondences should be directed to the administrative coordinator, Ms Juanita Krugel by email, at juanita.krugel@smu.ac.za or telephone, 0125213699
Application
Application for the course can be done by downloading the form below:
IITP REGISTRATION FORM_SMU_2025 (003)