The LWI-APhA Immunization Certification Training Programme took place at the Protea Hotel, Ikeja GRA from 9th-10th November 2012.
The training programme, which was the fifth in the series since 2009, was very successful. The APhA-supervised certification training by LiveWell Initiative Academy LWIA Faculty headed by Prof Gary H Smith, Az USA, was run with the goal to attaining expertise as immunization advocates, facilitators and counsellors. The ultimate goal is for the pharmacists to become certified immunizers, like their colleagues in the developed countries.
The advantages of the training programme are numerous, as this would encourage parents, guardians and other members of the society to take more responsibility for the prevention of vaccine preventable diseases; while also looking at proactively engaging in preventive vaccination through informed consent.
The teaching Faculty included APhA certified Trainers, Dr Pat Okhue, Dr Wunmi Adekola and Pharm Bisola Ayodele (Administrator LWIA) as well as renowned Professor of Paediatrics Prof Oluyinka Ogundipe and Public Health Physician Dr Olufemi Olaleye.
The 2-day crash training programme, which was preceeded by an online training programme, was well attended by community pharmacists who were sponsored under the GSK Neighborhood Vaccines Project. The trainees wrote the mandatory International Certification Exams and Mandatory Practical Exams and those who excelled were certified in line with APhA Immunization Certification Criteria.
Participants were taught among other things, AEFI Adverse Effects Following Immunization. They were all advised to undergo a certification training programme in First Aid CPR and Basic Life Support, in order to validate their certificates.
The participants were very happy to have benefitted from the GSK Scholarship and from the largesse of LWIA which gave out the APhA Course Materials free of charge.
Interested participants in future training programmes should please send an email to info@livewellng.org or call +234 704 144 2634-38.
Thank you.
