₦airaland Forum

As Nigerians, it is very common for us to take drugs without a doctor’s prescription. In fact, for many people, it feels normal. Once you feel sick, the next stop is the pharmacy or chemist, not the hospital. And to be honest, most times we are just tired of visiting the hospital. The long queues, the stress, the waiting, and sometimes the cost can be frustrating. So instead of going through all that, we become our own doctor or consult what many of us now call Dr Google or ChatGPT.

It is so common to everyone that anytime we have a strange feeling like:
You wake up with a headache; “It’s malaria.”
You feel weak, “Buy antibiotics.”
Fever shows, “That same drug that worked last time will work again.”

But the truth is, not every headache is malaria. Not every fever is an infection. Sometimes, that headache can be a symptom of something more serious. When we keep guessing our illness and treating ourselves, we are often treating the wrong problem.
Have you ever noticed that a drug you used before worked very well, but later stopped working for you? Maybe you used a particular antibiotic or malaria drug in the past, and it cleared your symptoms quickly. Then you used it again some months later, and it still worked. But after repeated use, you discovered that the drug no longer works the way it used to.

Most people will say, “This drug is fake.”
But in many cases, the drug is not fake.
The real issue is drug resistance.
When you use antibiotics without proper medical advice, or you use them too often, your body can become resistant to that drug. This means the bacteria in your body learn how to survive the drug. So when you truly need that antibiotic for a serious infection, it may no longer work.

This is one of the biggest dangers of self-medication.
Another common mistake is that many people believe antibiotics cure everything. This is not true. Antibiotics do not treat malaria. They do not treat viral infections like flu or common cold. Taking antibiotics for illnesses they cannot treat only exposes your body to unnecessary drugs and increases resistance.

Also, some people stop taking antibiotics once they start feeling better. This is very dangerous. When you don’t complete your dosage, you may kill some bacteria but leave the stronger ones behind. These remaining bacteria can multiply and become even harder to treat later.

Self-medication can also hide symptoms. You may feel temporary relief and think you are okay, while the real illness is still there and getting worse quietly. By the time you finally decide to see a doctor, the condition may have become more serious and more expensive to treat.
Let’s also talk about side effects. Antibiotics are not as harmless as we think. Some can affect the liver, kidneys, or stomach, especially when abused. Because these drugs are easy to buy and commonly used, many people underestimate their dangers.

Yes, going to the hospital can be stressful. Yes, the system can be tiring. But using antibiotics wrongly can cost you much more in the long run, your health, your money, and sometimes even your life.

Next time you feel sick, pause before walking into the pharmacy to prescribe drugs for yourself. Getting proper medical advice and using antibiotics the right way is not weakness. It is wisdom.
Your body will thank you later.

And my wife has been begging me to buy antibiotics for my cough since yesterday ..I will just show her this thread

Some people use antibiotics for almost every ailment including flu and malaria. Antibiotics should not be used anyhow, but our people will not hear.

This advice no be for Nigerians. Antibiotics na our water 💧.

Spot on, OP! This is a serious wake-up call.
​The truth is, we often run away from hospital stress only to create a bigger problem for ourselves. Many people think they are saving money by 'prescribing' drugs for themselves at the chemist, but drug resistance is real. When you use antibiotics like candy, a day will come when even the strongest injections won't work for you anymore.

​Also, we need to stop treating every headache as 'Malaria and Typhoid.' Taking drugs without a proper test is like shooting in the dark; you might hit your own health instead.

​It’s better to pay for a lab test today than to spend millions treating kidney issues or 'superbugs' tomorrow.
​Health is wealth. Let’s stop the guesswork!

Quite true for antibiotics..

Exactly , help me tell my stubborn family

Forget story. There's no money. Even the hospital sef is not a guarantee, ask Chimamanda Adichie.

Young doctors of these days that after telling them ur symptoms they will ask Google for ur presence shamelessly.

Nigerians ehn.. Even the hospitals are so prone to wrong diagnosis and unethical medical practices. na GOD the save mumu - Nigerians.

bunmioguns:
Spot on, OP! This is a serious wake-up call.
​The truth is, we often run away from hospital stress only to create a bigger problem for ourselves. Many people think they are saving money by 'prescribing' drugs for themselves at the chemist, but drug resistance is real. When you use antibiotics like candy, a day will come when even the strongest injections won't work for you anymore.

​Also, we need to stop treating every headache as 'Malaria and Typhoid.' Taking drugs without a proper test is like shooting in the dark; you might hit your own health instead.

​It’s better to pay for a lab test today than to spend millions treating kidney issues or 'superbugs' tomorrow.
​Health is wealth. Let’s stop the guesswork!

You are 100% correct but it still won't stop us. Nigeria is wired differently........I wish, though, that things can be different.

Antibiotics should not be originally sold by the road side. Nobody should be able to buy an antibiotic’s without a prescription. This is what is applicable in sane climes.

That's why a lot of us are resistant to Augmentin/Amoxicillin/Amoxiclav. We have so much abused Amoxil.

Kingpele:
And my wife has been begging me to buy antibiotics for my cough since yesterday ..I will just show her this thread

If only you know how big medical practitioners or institutions sponsor post like these to discourage people from self medication that our fore fathers have been doing.

To protect your health and the health of others, let us be cautious, avoid self-medication, and always visit a hospital or qualified health professional for proper diagnosis and treatment.

The only solution is for the seller not to sell but telling the buyers not to buy had failed overtime.

My brother, I've gone to the hospital several times. Immediately i complaint to the doc next thing na malaria drugs without test ooo. But What of Agbo? But sha guys use amplicluos decharm after having unprotected sex. I don't knw if i spell am right

No need to blame the patient. You need to blame the regulatory agencies failing in their duty to manage the pharma companies to ensure the drug products have the correct dosing. That is the highest contributor to drug resistance. Most companies importing drugs into Nigeria import drugs with incomplete percentages of the active ingredient.

I blame the Pharmacy board for this and those permitting patent medicine stores to still be operational across the nation.

It's beyond underdevelopment and backwardness to still have unlicensed non-pharmacists handling prescription drugs in the nation.

I don't care about shortage of Pharmacists... Train and empower more! SIMPLE!


...And any Pharmacist found going against WHO antimicrobial policies should have his or her license revoked!



Antibiotic Resistance is a very SERIOUS problem that no one seems to have solutions to... It is getting worse, and the consequences are terribly dire.

12345baba:
Young doctors of these days that after telling them ur symptoms they will ask Google for ur presence shamelessly.

i went to a popular hospital in lagos and noticed this. Some they even ask chatgpt.

Self medication till the end

Thunder Faya doctors and their hospitals

The leaders who can afford the best Medicare don't even patronize our hospitals

What does that tell you?

No be me dem go use do practicals abeg

E better make I dey manage my malaria by mysef dey go

Nonsense

The regulatory framework is weak or non existent!

In Nigeria. Lmao..

Thats why Nafdac needs to be decentralized 1st. Let every state manage its own drug control and distribution.

Onetechnews:
As Nigerians, it is very common for us to take drugs without a doctor’s prescription. In fact, for many people, it feels normal. Once you feel sick, the next stop is the pharmacy or chemist, not the hospital. And to be honest, most times we are just tired of visiting the hospital. The long queues, the stress, the waiting, and sometimes the cost can be frustrating. So instead of going through all that, we become our own doctor or consult what many of us now call Dr Google or ChatGPT.

It is so common to everyone that anytime we have a strange feeling like:
You wake up with a headache; “It’s malaria.”
You feel weak, “Buy antibiotics.”
Fever shows, “That same drug that worked last time will work again.”

But the truth is, not every headache is malaria. Not every fever is an infection. Sometimes, that headache can be a symptom of something more serious. When we keep guessing our illness and treating ourselves, we are often treating the wrong problem.
Have you ever noticed that a drug you used before worked very well, but later stopped working for you? Maybe you used a particular antibiotic or malaria drug in the past, and it cleared your symptoms quickly. Then you used it again some months later, and it still worked. But after repeated use, you discovered that the drug no longer works the way it used to.

Most people will say, “This drug is fake.”
But in many cases, the drug is not fake.
The real issue is drug resistance.
When you use antibiotics without proper medical advice, or you use them too often, your body can become resistant to that drug. This means the bacteria in your body learn how to survive the drug. So when you truly need that antibiotic for a serious infection, it may no longer work.

This is one of the biggest dangers of self-medication.
Another common mistake is that many people believe antibiotics cure everything. This is not true. Antibiotics do not treat malaria. They do not treat viral infections like flu or common cold. Taking antibiotics for illnesses they cannot treat only exposes your body to unnecessary drugs and increases resistance.

Also, some people stop taking antibiotics once they start feeling better. This is very dangerous. When you don’t complete your dosage, you may kill some bacteria but leave the stronger ones behind. These remaining bacteria can multiply and become even harder to treat later.

Self-medication can also hide symptoms. You may feel temporary relief and think you are okay, while the real illness is still there and getting worse quietly. By the time you finally decide to see a doctor, the condition may have become more serious and more expensive to treat.
Let’s also talk about side effects. Antibiotics are not as harmless as we think. Some can affect the liver, kidneys, or stomach, especially when abused. Because these drugs are easy to buy and commonly used, many people underestimate their dangers.

Yes, going to the hospital can be stressful. Yes, the system can be tiring. But using antibiotics wrongly can cost you much more in the long run, your health, your money, and sometimes even your life.

Next time you feel sick, pause before walking into the pharmacy to prescribe drugs for yourself. Getting proper medical advice and using antibiotics the right way is not weakness. It is wisdom.
Your body will thank you later.

Stop deceiving yourself. In most cases, the drugs are fake.

The issue of Nigerians taking drugs without prescription is the government's fault. If proper regulation comes in, everything will change. The same energy Tinubu is using for tax if used for enforcement it, there won't be wahala. So, leave story.

The real problem is that the head is bad. Fake drugs are imported. Drugs cabals at work just like oil cabals, marketers cabals, communications... which cabals we dont have in this present Nigeria? And I am telling you again...if the problem of self prescription is 10%, that of fake drugs is 1000%. Stop saying what you don't know cos you want to hit the front page.

12345baba:
Young doctors of these days that after telling them ur symptoms they will ask Google for ur presence shamelessly.

This happened toe few days ago when I went to hospital with my wife that had triggered ulcer. The doc listed the symptoms into one AI app and told us to get one drug but thank God the drug worked

You are all perfectly right but I think Nigerians need government intervention in regards to medication in the country. Government need to provide subsidy, infact a serious subsidy for medication and also for Medical test. If this is provided, it wouldn't discourage people from conducting test to determine their ailment before rushing to buy drugs at the pharmacy. We can't avoid Nigerians from getting drugs from pharmacy or atimes chemist but can only reduce it, the government intervention would drastically reduces the anti hospital phobia in all of us....for example. Conducting a Malaria/typhoid/PCV test could cost within 12 to 20k im some medical laboratory in Nigeria. A sick person would rather go ahead and purchase Malaria drugs of 4k, typhoid drugs of 5k, Panadol of 1k and take based on self medication so as to avoid spending 12 to 20k on medical test and still use additional 10 to ok 12k to buy drugs..... Nigerian need medical subsidy and if there is any of such already, then we need more subsidy, should be increased to atleast 80% subsidy for medical related treatment and drugs...

Let me ask us a question: After you conduct a medical test and discover you have Malaria and typhoid, you went to see doctor and got treated and became okay again. Now the question is.....do you go back to conduct medical test again to be sure that all those symptoms actually left your body??



...

bunmioguns:
Spot on, OP! This is a serious wake-up call.
​The truth is, we often run away from hospital stress only to create a bigger problem for ourselves. Many people think they are saving money by 'prescribing' drugs for themselves at the chemist, but drug resistance is real. When you use antibiotics like candy, a day will come when even the strongest injections won't work for you anymore.

​Also, we need to stop treating every headache as 'Malaria and Typhoid.' Taking drugs without a proper test is like shooting in the dark; you might hit your own health instead.

​It’s better to pay for a lab test today than to spend millions treating kidney issues or 'superbugs' tomorrow.
​Health is wealth. Let’s stop the guesswork!

I

Kingluqman:
This happened toe few days ago when I went to hospital with my wife that had triggered ulcer. The doc listed the symptoms into one AI app and told us to get one drug but thank God the drug worked

thank God urs ended well. Mine didn't, my wife lost our baby because of that trend.

These physicians fear the fact that the need for them is quickly declining.

bluefilm:
Self medication till the end

Thunder Faya doctors and their hospitals

The leaders who can afford the best Medicare don't even patronize our hospitals

What does that tell you?

No be me dem go use do practicals abeg

E better make I dey manage my malaria by mysef dey go

Nonsense

Seconded.
As I dey like this, nothing concern me and hospital unless I get serious accident. For other sickness, Dr Google can do

Many thanks
I think I am a victim, have been treating gum bleeding with Cipro. initially it seems excellent but now it doesn't work
On my way to 🏥 life has no duplicate