Popping pills without a prescription? NAFDAC says it could cost more than just your money — it might cost your life.

So, here’s what’s going down, according to cbinews.tv — NAFDAC is putting its foot down on drug misuse and self-medication across Nigeria.

At a sensitisation programme in Mushin, Lagos, on Wednesday, NAFDAC’s Director of Pharmacovigilance, Uchenna Elemuwa — standing in for DG Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye — didn’t mince words. Her message? Yes, medicines save lives. But when we misuse them, overuse them, underuse them, or take what wasn’t properly prescribed, they can turn dangerous fast. Like, life-threatening dangerous.

Elemuwa pointed out that this isn’t just a Nigerian issue — irrational use of medicines is a global headache. We’re talking self-medication, antibiotic abuse, wrong dosing, and fake drugs flooding the market. The fallout? Treatment that doesn’t work, nasty drug reactions, longer illnesses, higher hospital bills, disability, and deaths we could’ve avoided.

And it gets worse. She flagged antimicrobial resistance as one of the scariest consequences. Basically, when we overuse antibiotics, the bugs get stronger. Infections that used to be a quick fix are now stubborn, pricey, and hard to shake.

Now, NAFDAC isn’t just sounding the alarm — they’re pushing pharmacovigilance. That’s the science of spotting, assessing, and preventing bad drug effects. As Elemuwa put it, no medicine is 100% side-effect free. But with solid pharmacovigilance, we can catch harmful reactions early and protect people.

Her ask? If you’re a healthcare pro or just a regular Nigerian, report adverse drug reactions. “A single adverse drug reaction report can save thousands of lives,” she said. She’s calling on doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and patients to team up. Bottom line: “Patient safety begins with the rational use of medicines. Medicines are meant to heal, not harm.”

Mushin LG Chairman, Tunbosun Aruwe, also weighed in. He said the whole point of the programme was to boost medication safety and get the community clued up on public health. “Medicines provide immense benefits, but they may also cause harmful effects if not properly used or monitored. This is why pharmacovigilance is critical,” he noted.

Aruwe gave NAFDAC props for protecting public health and promised Mushin LG would keep backing healthcare initiatives — think free medical outreaches, modern primary healthcare centres, and programmes that put patient safety first.

His parting shot to everyone there? Don’t keep this to yourself. “Let us all become ambassadors of safe medicine use. Together, we can build a healthier Mushin, a safer Lagos State, and a stronger Nigeria.”

The event pulled in healthcare professionals, community leaders, and other stakeholders — all focused on spreading the word about safe medicine practices and tightening up pharmacovigilance in Nigeria.

Source: cbinews.tv

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