Consult pharmacists on medicines, PSN tells Nigerians

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has advised Nigerians to imbibe the habit of seeking advice about medicines from pharmacists.

Chairman, of the Abuja branch of the association, Pharmacist Jelili Kilani gave the advice yesterday during a health screening and sensitization exercise organised by the association in Abuja.

Over 200 people at the Wuse Market were offered free health check and counselling on blood pressure, body mass index, therapeutic lifestyle changes, and deworming drugs.

Pharmacist Kilani said consulting pharmacists would help them get the best from medicines whether they have already been prescribed by a physician or not.

He said that many people have the erroneous belief that once a doctor prescribes medicines, they don’t need to consult any other expert again, adding that the pharmacist is the medicine expert who has been involved from the very beginning; from research to manufacture, getting to hospital and pharmacy as well as to dispensing to patients.

He said in the Federal Territory (FCT) only 50% residents are aware of the Capital of the need to consult pharmacists to get the best out of their medicines.

The Abuja PSN boss also enjoined pharmacists to always update their knowledge in addition to the training they had in school in order to do well in the profession.

Meanwhile, the association also sensitized students of Top Hill Secondary School Abuja on medicines and drug abuse.

Pharm. Zainab Bala Usman told them not to only rely on just doctors for health consultations saying pharmacists are also trusted sources for such advice.

The theme of this year’s commemoration is ‘Pharmacists: Your Medicines Experts’.