The Drug Free and Quality Control Community Development Service recently embarked on a sensitization to Kpakpagi High School, a community secondary school in ezza south local government area of Ebony state, Nigeria.
The sensitization is part of our major activities in the host community to senzitize the rural dweller's on drug related issues as it affect their health in one way or the other.
TOPIC;
-----------> PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLET <-----------
Funny as it might sound, but so many persons don’t really know what
“Patient Information Leaflet” is?.
The DFQCCDS Team led by the Team Leader Rheda Ude educated the student's and their teacher's on the subject matter..
*The Speaker Rheda Ude started by explaining
- what patient information leaflet is
- what it contains
- Benefits of reading it....*
The Patient Information Leaflet contains important information about am the medicine you are about to take.
A patient information leaflet contains everything you need to know about your medicine. For example:
- what the medicine is intended for
- how you should use the medicine
- when you should not use the medicine
- when caution is advised
- which adverse events are possible
- which ingredients the medicine contains
So many people these days take drugs without knowing:
- If it is good for their system
- When to use them
- Which ingredient of the drug they are allergic to
- The possible side effect of the drug.
After the senzitization It was shocking to realize that many of the Students, including the teachers have actually came across it but;
- Have never read through it or even
- Know what the leaflet is talking about.
Many of them say they don’t see the leaflet in the drugs they buy most times and the “Chemist” give them drugs for their illness without telling them the possible side effect of the drug.
Many times people buy drugs without knowing the possible side effect of the drugs which is always stated in the
“Patient Information Leaflet”.
The possibly cause of this scenario might be:
- The Literacy Level
In Africa where the literacy level is not as high as the developed countries, this make reading or even understanding the “ Patient Information Leaflet” Impossible.
- Height Rate of Unlicensed Chemist Shop
In Africa and Nigeria to be precise only few people buy drugs from “pharmacist” who are licensed to sell drugs. Most persons buy drugs from “Chemist shop” and many of these chemist shop especially in African countries are not licensed. Many of the chemist attendant just learn how to sell drugs without knowing the chemical properties of these drugs the sell.
- Pharmacist/Doctors not Educating Patients
The pharmacist/doctors are suppose to educate or inform the user of the drug of the possible side effect of the drug written on the Patient information Leaflet and encourage them to read it. Most of them give patients drugs without the Patient information Leaflet in it.
In Conclusion
It is the right of any user of a drug to Demand for and Always Read the Patient information Leaflet of a drug thoroughly before taking that drug.
They Say:
Health is Wealth, so Let's Remain Healthy
