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elf-medication in this period of the COVID-19 outbreak is very rampant and disturbing as it has widely become accepted and adopted by individuals. This indulgence has caused a lot of harm to many individuals and it is now creating an atmosphere of ridicule towards the intellect of medical professionals.
This raises a questionable look into the beliefs, choices and intellectual capacities of individuals in the society who look to self-medication for treatment of COVID-19 like symptoms rather than seeking medical checkup and diagnosis.
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According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), self-medication is the use of drugs to treat self-diagnosed disorders or symptoms, or the intermediate or continued use of a prescription for a chronic or recurrent disease or symptoms.
Everyday, new, untested and uncertified drugs on COVID-19 are produced and distributed globally, and their usage is being propelled by conspiracies on corona all over the world. For instance, in a developing country such as India, it has been documented that hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are being used to prevent COVID-19 which was later proven by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be wrong as both drugs were found to be unsafe in mild-to-moderate COVID-19 infection based on their therapeutic safety profile in the patients.
Likewise, in many countries, untested herbal products have been used by individuals to treat or prevent the disease. These drugs, if not effectively tested or clearly prescribed, their usage can lead to more health implications and possibly death.
The reason people engage in self-medication could range from poverty to the lack of awareness about both the disease and risks involved in self-medication. This has pushed people into believing whatever rumour is spread about the diseases and their medication and pushing them to purchase drugs that could cause harm to them.
Self-medication is not the right choice as the wrong use of drugs could lead to mental disorders, addiction, resistance and could even cause damage to the kidney, liver or heart.
In view of this, the government and other stakeholders should create more awareness about the disease and make drugs or vaccines available to deter people from taking decisions to protect themselves and their families that could cause more harm to individuals and the society.
The drugs needed for the prevention and cure of COVID-19 should also be made cheap so that people will be able to purchase them. A vigorous enlightenment campaign should also be mounted to educate people on the use of supplements in the treatment of the disease
However, more importantly, Nigerians must abstain from indulging in self-medication, but rather try as much as possible to seek medical advice from medical practitioners before buying or using any medicine.
Victor Efe Sunday can be reached via [email protected]
