Self-Medication Is Kiss Of Death
By Kayode Ojewal In Nigeria , the open sale of drugs – both traditional and pharmaceutical— through unregistered outlets is a major concern. It is not strange to see unregistered ‘doctors’ and ‘pharmacists’ advertising and selling medicines in commercial buses and by the roadsides. These drug hawkers are sometimes seen selling prescription-only antibiotics and other powerful painkiller drugs. They do not only prescribe drugs, but they also go as far as recommending the dosage to be taken to these unsuspecting commuters. Some street hawkers have their shops, stores and makeshift ‘clinics’ located in motor parks and market places where they offer ‘general body checkups’ and also display their medicines for sale. It is observed that people who opt to patronise these drug hawkers do so from time to time to treat common illnesses like malaria, stomach upset and general body pains chiefly because it saves time, effort and money going in search of doctors and drug stores. Th...