By Chioma Obinna

Where do you buy your drugs? How safe is that paracetamol in your hands?  Many Nigerians are in the habit of buying drugs from any source but pharmacists who are the custodian of drugs say for a better  treatment outcome, drugs must be purchased from the right source.

Patients are advised to buy drugs only from a registered pharmacy with the green cross RX sign.

The pharmacists under the auspices of Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, Lagos State branch also called on Nigerians to cultivate the culture of visiting a registered pharmacist to avoid being exposed to counterfeit drugs which is prevalent in the country.

At an event in Lagos, Chairman, ACPN Lagos branch, Pharm. Abiola Paul-Ozieh, said  this year’s World Pharmacists Day with the theme: Pharmacists: “Caring for you” was chosen to reflect the important role of pharmacists in improving care to the public and also highlight the emotional connection they have with their patients.

While emphasizing that the role of pharmacists has evolved from that of a provider of medicine to that of a provider of care in the society, she noted that pharmacists have a vital role in the outcome of pharmacological therapies and ultimately strive to improve patients’ quality of life.

She sternly warned that Nigerians should desist from self medication and cultivate the habit of visiting registered Pharmacists while purchasing their drugs.

Speaking, Pharm. Aminu Abdulsalam Yinka, immediate past chairman of ACPN Lagos state, said: “Don’t go about taking medicines without good information from a pharmacist.

“Again, it is not just to buy medicine, make sure that you do your own part and approach registered pharmacy to access the medicine. In the registered pharmacy you will have pharmacist there and there is always a green sign; a cross at the front there that will help you know that they provide good pharmacy care that will make your health better.

“There are a lot of counterfeit medicines out there and it is only when you visit a registered pharmacist that genuineness of drugs will be guranteed. If you just buy your medicine along the street then you are exposed to the danger of fake medicine. Fake medicines will not solve the problem; it may contain some things that may not be good for your health. It is also possible for you to buy expired drugs because their intention is to make money,” he advised.

In her keynote address, Dr. Ogori Taylor emphasised  that Pharmacists are healthcare professionals who are uniquely trained in the knowledge of drug use, side effects, drug interactions, drug regulation, drug production, drug supply chain management in order to help the populace use drug appropriately.

Outlining the dangers in patronising quacks, Taylor  noted “First of all they don’t have the education in medicine and we know that medicine can be quite dangerous, they have good benefits and they have side effects which can sometimes also cause other diseases and even death. So the pharmacist is actually trained to be able to advise patients on the proper use of drugs.