With incidence of Lassa fever in some states, a microbiologist based in Enugu, Chinenye Nwekpe, has urged Nigerians to avoid self-medication in the treatment.
Nwekpe, who works with the Microbiology Department, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, said self-medication was “simply a product of guess work,” which could not deliver effective treatment and cure.
He said self-medication was dangerous to health and has the ability to delay treatment of diseases in human beings, while advising Nigerians to visit hospitals for laboratory diagnosis and treatment of whatever ailment they were suffering from.
“People should always go to hospitals or health centres for better diagnosis when they are sick or feel feverish before medications,” he said.
Nwekpe said in the case of the Lassa fever ravaging some parts of Nigeria, early laboratory testing was needed for early confirmation.
He said such step was necessary because the symptoms of Lassa fever were not radically different from that of other infections.
besides, the expert urged Nigerians to avoid storing their foods on the ground or along the road sides to prevent rodents from urinating or defecating on them.