Every human being has the natural instinct of self-preservation. It is our passionate desire to own lives and subsequently flees from things that endanger it such as self-medication. But it is really sad that in contrast to this natural instinct, people now unconsciously take their lives by themselves. Unknowingly committing suicide. it is unethical to eliminate life or to go contrary to the culture of life since no man is the owner of his life.
Life is the primary value at all times and in all as such. Self-medication is a cankerworm that is eating deep in our world today, and it is a great and direct opponent of the culture of life.
The term self-medication means the intake of drugs without the Doctor’s prescription. It can also be seen as the personal purchase and intake of drugs out of one’s personal prescription. In explaining self-medication, one must note that those who have the knowledge of the body chemistry, (for example, Doctors, Pharmacists, and in some cases Medical Laboratory Scientists and Nurses) are not among those that commit this self-medication. This is because they are aware of the type of medicine to take to arrest a particular health problem.
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Self-medication is very rampant in our country today. One of the ethics of health that is implanted in the heart of all men is Medical Test and Examination. When the body system fails to function very well, it is advisable that the person in question goes to the Medical Laboratories to be sure of what his problem is. When this is done, the temptation of self-medication will be subdued.
Some diseases today are accompanied by complex and conflicting symptoms. Thus, a man suffering from measles may be lured into taking of medicines meant for the treatment of micro-filariasis which is the early stage of elephantiasis in humans. Besides, typhoid and malaria have similar symptoms which may make you treat malaria when actually you are suffering from typhoid.
Experiences have also recorded situations whereby people suffering from peptic ulcer go on treating hookworm. All these instances have often sent people to an early grave. But then, it beats one’s imagination why people who have opportunities of meeting the medical doctors go on killing themselves by themselves.
it is normally advised that prior to any treatment, one must consult his or her medical doctor for medical examinations.
The reasons for the persistent increase of this threat to the culture of life are not far-fetched. The health professionals normally advise that once one falls sick, he should go for medical examination for diagnosis and prognosis, by the medical doctor or medical laboratory scientist. If only most Africans will cultivate this habit then the rate of health-related mortality will drastically reduce.
More so, one may look at this problem from the perspective of the role of government. If the government should take their duty of safeguarding life seriously, then people will be enlightened on the positive and negative effects of self-medication. People often resort to the purchase and intake of medicines by themselves not because they want to, but because they are afraid of visiting medical doctors whose bills are quite terrifying.
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The government parastatals involved in taking care of the health of the people should ensure accessibility of health services. If the government can adequately equip the general hospitals and health clinics with doctors who know what they are doing, then this problem will be taken care of. Majority of Nigerians who practice self-medication do so out of the unprofessional experience. Some believe they already have the symptoms of particular illnesses off by heart.
As such, they are prone to prescribe drugs for themselves, for their wives, kids, relatives, and friends and without knowing that they are prescribing death for such people. This is where enlightenment comes in which may take the form of education right from the primary schools. There should also be Government Policies that would prohibit the sale of drugs to individuals, at pharmaceutical shops, without an authentic drug prescription by a certified doctor.
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The main thrust of our discussion is that human life is primary and should be seen as such. The culture of life is what all men must cultivate. And one of the great threats to it is the personal prescription and intake of medicines without the doctor’s consent.
This form of drug undermines the value of human life. It is my responsibility to highlight the value of human life which we all have the collective obligation to protect and promote. One of the ways of doing so is to always have recourse to the help of medical doctors whenever we fall sick.
Conclusion
Self-medication is deadly. Let us reconstruct our popular conception of treatment and how it should happen. Life is good so don’t carelessly lose it. Uphold the culture of life and be a pro-lifer by campaigning against self-medication, because it kills!