Expert Warns Against Self Injection

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A General Physician based in Abuja, Dr Arome Achem, has warned against self administration of injection, saying that it can cause severe infection.

Achem told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that people took for granted the need to see a doctor when they are sick.

He said that in the medical profession, everyone has his or her responsibility, adding that there were people, who had the knowledge to administer injections.

He described self administration of injection as harmful, especially when an individual, who did not have the knowledge injected substance into the body by using injection.

Achem said self injection could cause transmission of blood borne illness and infections such as HIV and AIDS, hepatitis and other severe illnesses among drug abusers who used same needle.

According to him, self medication and injection have become a serious problem in Nigeria, noting that people now had access to drugs that were not supposed to be sold in the pharmacy stores.

“Drug users are not only more susceptible to getting HIV and AIDS, but they are more likely to have the disease progress than those who do not drink or use illicit drugs.

“Almost every system in the body could be affected by excessive self injection, it could cause cancer, liver disease, heart attacks and brain damage,” ‘he said.

He observed that the issue of HIV and AIDS was first linked to homosexuals and drug abusers, adding that the method they used in keeping and disposing needles were absolutely unscientific.

The physician explained that most of them used single syringe to inject themselves at the same time in the course of drug abuse.

“Another risk is poor collection and disposal of dirty injection equipment, which exposes the community to the risk of needle stick injuries,” he said.

Achem further explained that self injection for prolonged periods could make the symptoms of anxiety or depression worse in people involved in it.

He said every individual had sensitivity level to alcohol or sedative hypnotic drugs, and “what one person can tolerate without ill health, could cause another to suffer ill health.”

He, however, said that only diabetic patients were allowed to inject themselves based on doctor’s instruction and direction.

 

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