Pharmacists are accessible, as they are well placed within communities as the first point of contact with the health care system. Pharmacists are well trained, offer cost-effective pharmaceutical services to the public, and therefore play a pivotal role in the delivery of primary health care services.

Pharmacists can promote public health through immunisations and increase immunisation coverage. Pharmacists acting as educators, facilitators, vaccinators and advocates fulfil important roles during a pandemic.

The South African Pharmacy Council identified the need for pharmacists to be trained as vaccinators and to be skilled in practical immunisation and injection technique. This is in line with the National Department of Health’s (NDoH) Strategic Plan 2020/2021 - 2024/25, specifically to increase life expectancy from birth, reduce infant and child mortality rates, and achieve the sustainable development goal of ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages. Furthermore, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure sufficient workforce capacity to vaccinate the entire South African population. Hence, as lifelong learners, pharmacists need to improve their knowledge and skills in order to strengthen immunisation services across all vaccination programmes and to reduce the burden of vaccine preventable diseases.