Non-adherence to drug taking schedule breeds resistance – Pharmacist

A Pharmacist, Rotkang Okunlola, says non-adherence to drug taking schedule breeds drug resistance.

Okunola, a lecturer with the University of Jos, told our reporter on Tuesday in Jos that it was “very salient” to take drugs at the exact time the prescription stipulated.

“Some drugs require that the second dosage should be taken after six or eight hours, but many people fail to adhere to such timing; they just take the drug morning, afternoon and at night without adhering to the stipulated time schedule.

“When this happens, the organism responsible for the disease mutates and forms resistance to the particular drug.

“Poor adherence to drug taking schedule has been shown to be a major factor responsible for drug resistant virus and parasites over the years,” she pointed out.

She said that the situation had become an issue of public health concern, noting, particularly, that it was responsible for the rise in most malaria-resistant cases and antibiotic-resistant cases that were resulting into complication of illnesses.

Okunola also cautioned Nigerians against self-medication, saying that it was also responsible for the high cases of drug resistance.

“Most people, who self-medicate, either fail to adhere to the duration of days to take the drugs or fail to take the drug as at when due.

“People must inculcate the act of complying with their drug taking schedule; it helps to ensure that the organism causing the disease in the individual’s system is destroyed, and also ward off drug resistance.”

She appealed to livestock breeders and poultry farmers to desist from giving drugs, especially antibiotics meant for humans, to animals, saying that the act leads to drug resistance in humans who consume the animals or their end products.