Author(s): Olofinbiyi Rebecca Oluwafunke, Ojo Elizabeth Funmilayo, Ogidan Oluwakemi, Ogunje Omotayo Deborah, Abdullahi Muhammed Salisua and Olofinbiyi Babatunde Ajayi

Abstract: Nigeria, with a median age of 18.5, poses unique challenges for adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH). Expanding family planning services in youth-dominated states requires innovative approaches. Community pharmacists and chemists, readily accessible and trusted, have potential to bridge the gap. A critical review of the need for and conduct of involvement of community pharmacists and chemists in adolescent family planning services in a youth-dominated Nigerian State. A multi-faceted search strategy identified relevant studies on community pharmacists, chemists and adolescent family planning services in Nigeria and globally from 1997-2023. PubMed, Cochrane Libraries, Google Scholar and Semantic Scholar were queried using a comprehensive set of keywords and Boolean operators to ensure focus. Language was restricted to English. Additional techniques like backward citation searching and consultation with experts bolstered the search. The engagement of private pharmacists/chemists in the distribution of family planning commodities will go a long way to address the high unmet needs for family planning in this sensitive age bracket. It is, therefore, imperative to use effective leadership philosophy to successfully secure sentiment-free involvement of this community-based dispensing arm of health services.

DOI: 10.33545/comed.2024.v7.i1a.289