Dr. Temitope Okunola, a seasoned registrar based at the Department of Family Medicine within Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, voiced concern over the burgeoning cases of patients grappling with severe organ complications, such as liver or kidney failure, as they seek medical attention.
These comments were made during a preventive health initiative organized by the alumni association of Ojokoro High School, convened at the school’s compound in the Ijaye district of Lagos State, over the weekend.
His assessment highlights that the primary issues confronting teaching hospitals result from patients’ delayed arrivals, frequently when viable solutions are minimal or ineffective.
His perspective suggests that the primary difficulties experienced in teaching hospitals result from patients’ tardy arrivals, frequently when the opportunity for meaningful intervention is greatly diminished or absent.
“Many of the cases we are seeing in LUTH are people who have already had kidney damage and liver problems before coming to the hospital,” he noted.
Attributing the uptick in liver and kidney damage cases to various factors, the physician highlighted self-medication and the abuse of herbal concoctions as particularly concerning contributors.
He expressed concern over the trend of patients resorting to unregulated or untested herbal remedies for a range of conditions, including chronic pain, diabetes, and hypertension, before seeking medical attention at the hospital.
The medical doctor cautioned against the use of these remedies, warning of the potential for severe harm, including fatal outcomes, and emphasized that self-medication or the usage of medications without proper authorization is a key driver of organ damage.
In a call for responsible healthcare practices, the physician urged people to only take medications under the supervision and guidance of qualified medical professionals.
Encouraging proactive healthcare engagement, he emphasized that individuals need to understand that regular hospital visits are critical for preventing certain diseases and ensuring overall health.
“Hospitals should not be seen as a place for only the sick. Coming regularly for checkups will help detect certain diseases early, among others.
“High Blood Pressure is a silent killer and a lot of people have died because of it. People need to check their BP at least once in three months to ascertain if it is high.
“It is not until you are sick that you go to the hospital.”
Read also: WHO, Governors To Ink Agreement On Healthcare Delivery
“We have these cases and an increase of people with damaged vital organs because a lot of people are not aware of the danger involved in the things they take.
“We have people indulging in drugs, indulging in some things like herbal contortions, things that they are not supposed to be taken without a prescription. They feel that, oh, this thing has been working for me, let me continue to take it.
“With that, we are putting our body in danger in terms of the fact that this is because the body has organs that control some things in our body. For example, the liver has some functions that it does in our body. The kidney has functions that it does in our body. The heart has functions. So when we are taking all these drugs, they have some chemicals inside them that can put our health in danger.
“When we take them for over a long period, they will begin to cause damage to the heart, to the kidney, to the liver. And the effect, when it comes up, will put the person in danger, and can also cut the lifespan of the person short.
“Some people will say; ‘oh, I’ve never been in the hospital for the past 20 years.’ No, it’s not an achievement; you come to the hospital when you don’t have any complaints. That is when it is even best to come to the hospital; when you don’t have any complaints,” he explained.
In his remarks, the president of the old student association, Chris Okhumale said the health initiative was to check the BP and sugar level of members, teachers of the school, and residents of neighbouring communities.
He added that drugs and mosquito nets would be given to beneficiaries, while people with extreme cases would be referred to the nearby hospital for further screening and treatment.
“This programme is not a one-off thing, it will continue to happen periodically. So in the next three to six months, we’ll be looking for another programme on this health initiative.
“So, those that never have the opportunity to partake in this, they will have the opportunity to still come again in the next three to six months and partake in it. And for those that have come, we will also have an opportunity to monitor them and see how far they have gone.
He concluded that some of them would be referred to nearby hospitals because the team of doctors from LUTH had a close relationship with certain hospitals in the area. He added that they could always keep in touch.