The Role of Pharmacists in Adult Immunization among Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder associated with substantial global morbidity and mortality.In addition to wellestablished microvascular and macrovascular complications, diabetes confers an increased susceptibility to infectious diseases.Persistent hyperglycaemia, immune dysfunction, and the presence of multiple comorbidities impair host defence mechanisms, leading to higher infection rates, greater disease severity, and poorer clinical outcomes.Vaccine-preventable infections such as influenza, pneumococcal disease, hepatitis B, and COVID-19 contribute significantly to infection-related hospitalisations and mortality in individuals with diabetes.Immunisation represents a safe, effective, and cost-efficient preventive strategy and should be integrated into routine diabetes management.Despite clear recommendations from international health authorities, adult vaccination coverage among people with diabetes remains suboptimal, particularly in low-and middle-income countries.Limited awareness, vaccine hesitancy, safety concerns, inconsistent healthcare provider recommendations, and restricted access to immunisation services are major contributors to poor uptake.Pharmacists, owing to their accessibility and frequent patient contact, are uniquely positioned to address these barriers.Their expanding role includes patient education, identification of high-risk individuals, promotion and administration of vaccines, and coordination of immunisation services within diabetes care.