SELF MEDICATION
By Olatunji Obisanya
Kosofe, Lagos.
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| Source : Olatunji Obisanya |
It involves obtaining medication without
prescription and taking medicines on advice of and from friends and relatives.
Self-medication is common in both
developed and developing countries but higher in developing countries, due to
wider increase of drug availability without prescription.
Self-medication increases the possibility of drug abuse and
drug dependency.
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| Source :Olatunji Obisanya |
It also masks the signs
and symptoms of underlying diseases, hence complicating the problem, creating
drug resistance, and delaying diagnosis.
Self-medication has been reported to be on the rise globally.
The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized that
self-medication must be correctly taught and controlled in other to avoid drug
related issues such as anti-microbial resistance which is now a current problem
worldwide particularly in developing countries where antibiotics are often
available without a prescription.
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| Source :Olatunji Obisanya |
Many
studies have revealed that young adults are more vulnerable to the practice of
self medication due to their low perception of risk associated with the use of
drugs, knowledge of drugs, easy access to internet, wider media coverage on
related health issues, ready access to drugs, level of education, and social
status.
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| Source :Olatunji Obisanya |
The practice of self-medication
in general has been widely studied among populations of many countries in
Africa, Asia, and Europe.
The sale of
both Over The Counter (OTC) and prescription drugs by petty traders and roadside
hawkers is very common in Nigeria.
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| Source :Olatunji Obisanya |
Self medication
is like someone embarking on a suicide journey. Because one, you don't know how
your body system works, and you will give yourself wrong diagnose and cause a
delay in seeking for medical advice when needed by an expert on time.
Speaking in an interview, with one Mrs Emmanuel. D, she said "Most people are scared of injection or dripp that will pass through their body and they believe that the hospital bill is much that they could not afford it due to financial difficulty. Major reason why people prefer taking self-medication is that they feel confident in this process and that they believe that fever, cold and body pain are simple illnesses that can be treated by telling a pharmacist".
In conclusion,Self
medication is not right and the following are the potential risk of
self-medication practice which include: 1. Incorrect self diagnose, 2.
infrequent but severe adverse reaction, 3. Dangerous drugs interaction, 4.
Incorrect manner of administration, 5. Incorrect doses, 6. Incorrect choice of
therapy. And so on and so forth and it kills easily. That is why is advisable to
seek proper medical attention. Don't resort to self medication.
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