Dr Ibrahim Bello, the Head of Department, Family Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, has warned the populace against drug abuse.
Bello gave the warning during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Ile-Ife.
He explained that drugs are not food that people should take anyhow, charging that they should be taken only when absolutely necessary.
The Family Medicine expert decried the lackadaisical attitude of some patients who do not follow the instructions of doctors on the prescription drugs for them.
According to him, some patients after taking the prescribed drugs, but do not feel relieved as expected, would take more, in excess of what was prescribed, saying that such practices could cause bodily harm or death of such persons.
He also explained that drug abuse includes taking drugs of one illness for another sickness without doctors’ consent, stressing that such can finally end up in a fatal situation.
Another instance of drug abuse, he said, is for a patient not to complain about a sickness to a professional but instead prefer to buy medicines from medicine stores.
“Some even decide to use the left-over medicine of their father or other relatives or friends that have similar ailments for themselves without consulting medical doctors,” Dr. Bello said, insisting that all these are drug abuse, which must be curbed.
The HoD explained that taking expired drugs, would result in damage to the body rather than cure for ailments.
The doctor said some market women were addicted to branching at chemist shops to buy about 10 to 12 unprescribed drugs to swallow after their working days.
He admonished the masses to avoid the intake of combined drugs that are packed together by patent medicine dealers without such being prescribed by qualified professionals.
