Exercise Regularly To Prevent Diseases, PSN Urges Nigerians

The chairman of the FCT branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharmacist Salamatu Orakwelu, has urged Nigerians to exercise regularly in order to prevent diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and some cardiovascular diseases.

Orakwelu gave the advise during a sensitization campaign to mark this year’s World Pharmacists Day which is yearly celebrated on the 25th of September.

Orakwelu who led FCT pharmacists on a health walk through the streets of Abuja as part of activities to mark this year’s celebration, also disclosed that medicine as it is currently, tends more towards prevention than actual treatment and administration of medication.

“Today, we started a health walk, sensitizing the general public that now, medicine is tending towards prevention, and that they need to keep fit in terms of exercise. We have a lot of chronic diseases now and their prevalence is increasing. Hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases are rife now.

“These are diseases that if you actually do what is expected of you, that is, keep fit, check your blood pressure regularly and also watch your diet, you will definitely overcome them,” said Orakwelu.

The PSN chair also stated that as advocates of healthy and productive living, the Pharmacists body regularly organizes outreaches in communities in the FCT to educate, counsel, screen and even vaccinate members of the community who need such assistances.

“We want to let people know that we are a part of their health care team in terms of health education, counseling, screening, and even vaccination. With our wealth of knowledge and expertise, we also facilitate access to quality, effective and affordable medicine,” she said.

The theme for this year’s World Pharmacists Day is “Pharmacists: Meeting The Global Health Need,” and according to Orakwelu, it aptly captures the drive by the global health community to ensure universal health coverage by way of reaching out to the downtrodden and vulnerable members of the society and proffering them with all the medical aid that they stand in need of.

“When we are talking of the role we play in health, we are talking about meeting the global health needs. When you talk about the universal health coverage where you go to the downtrodden and vulnerable, it implies healthcare services that cut across all spheres so that everyone is able to afford it.

“We as pharmacists, we bridge the gap. I will say that we are the first accessible health practitioners. If you go to the rural areas now, you will see community pharmacists because the services we render cut across the community, the nation and the globe,” stated the PSN chair.

Exercise Regularly To Prevent Diseases, PSN Urges Nigerians is first published on The Whistler Newspaper