Create awareness about risks of self-medication

News that many children countrywide are facing a high resistance rate to antibiotics due to self-medication caused by unprofessional prescription should concern us all.

In our November 4 story titled, “More children resistant to antibiotics – experts”, Dr Richard Idro, the president of Uganda Medical Association, said antimicrobial resistance and biosecurity is now one of the big emerging health problems in Uganda.

He blamed it on parents who buy over the counter medicines without knowing the cause of the illness and also buying what their money can afford, which may not even be a full dose.

The association says the most commonly abused antibiotics include septrin, amoxicillin, and injectable penicillin which treat bacterial infections in the ears, nose, throat, lungs, and kidneys in children.

In a bid to get fast service, many parents and guardians have ended up being culprits of what Dr Idro  points to turning their children victims of this dangerous trend albeit, unknowingly. 

Some point to the slow service delivery at health centres not to mention the exorbitant fees charged for consultation as reason for self-medication. This seems like a viable option until conditions such as antimicrobial resistance are reported.

In the story, it was highlighted that in July, the World Health Organisation reported that self-medication cases in Uganda had increased by 30 percent as of 2020 which caused death and resistance to diseases, especially among infants.

Of course self-medication is not only in children. Many adults have taken to treating themselves without consulting qualified physicians. There are those among us who are guilty of using internet articles to diagnose illnesses and then go ahead to self-prescribe with over the counter medicines.

Granted, visiting a health centre or consulting a physician every time one is not well can be hectic to mention expensive but not as expensive as losing one’s life over avoidable circumstances.

In a Daily Monitor story of April 28 titled, “Why self-medication is on the rise”, it was reported that in 2010, the National Drug Authority (NDA) estimated that eight in every 10 people self-medicate or buy drugs over the counter.

NDA attributed this to the increased number of pharmacies and drug shops, expensive treatment from clinics and long distances to health facilities.

In that story Dr Medard Bitekyerezo, the chairperson of NDA, pointed out that drug shops should dispense drugs to only buyers who present medical forms from the doctors.

While it is impossible to police everyone when it comes to this issue, creating widespread and sustained awareness about the dangers of self-medication could go a long way in bringing about behavioural change. 

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