Lady Pharmacists Task Mainland Residents on Leveraging Digital Tools for Wellness

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Members of the Association of Lady Pharmacists (ALPs) Lagos State branch, have enlightened residents of Mainland Local Government Area on the importance of leveraging digital technology for the promotion of wellness and healthy living.

The lady pharmacists, who were celebrating ALPs Day in the Annual Lagos State PSN Scientific Week, on Tuesday, took turn to teach participants at the health programme on different health talks such as the usage of mobile technology for healthy living; Meet your pharmacist; Hygiene; Healthy nutrition & exercise; Drug abuse and misuse.

In her welcome address, the chairperson of the occasion, Prof. Olukemi Odukoya expressed her delight with the choice of the theme of the programme: ”Promoting wellness and healthy lifestyle, using tools of information, education, counsel ling, screening, and referrals”, saying it was apt as things keep evolving every day.

The Professor of Pharmacognosy urged the participants to be very attentive to all the lectures, because most diseases don’t kill suddenly, not even cancer, provided there is early diagnosis and presentation in the hospital. Thus, she encouraged them to always pay attention to any strange development in their bodies and report same to their healthcare givers immediately, for proper attention.

Speaking on the topic: “Leveraging digital technology for improved patient care and safety” the keynote speaker, Pharm. Aderonke Olowu explained how technological advancement has changed the mode and manner of doing things in the world, particularly how it has made life easy for people, even in Africa.

She further highlighted how lack of exercise has impacted several people negatively unknowingly, while they go through their daily busy schedules, without remembering to engage in exercise. However, she noted that there are mobile applications that can be easily installed on mobile phones to monitor vital signs and even count steps daily.

Olowu listed some of the mobile applications that can be latched on to for this purpose to include: Hydration App, Speedometer, Step counter, Track it, Calories burner, Sleep time, Walkout, Glucometer, 30 Day lose weight, etc.

She stated that all these applications can be easily used by the people without the help of a doctor, but they can show the report of the test to their doctors anytime they visit the hospital.

In her contribution, the Chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Lagos State, Pharm. (Mrs) Bolanle Adeniran expressed the position of the association to the high rate of sudden death in Nigeria, saying the spate of premature death in the country due to preventable diseases is what informed the decision of the group to come and educate them on how to use modern technology to promote healthy living.

Adeniran, who spoke extensively on the status of pharmacists in the community and hospital, as drug experts and manufacturers, urged them to always cooperate with pharmacists, during drug counselling in the hospital and community pharmacies.

She specifically enlightened them on how to differentiate a pharmacist from a doctor or nurse in the hospital, and why they need to purchase their medicines from only registered and licenced pharmacies whenever they need to do so in the community.

Health talks bordering on different areas of health were presented by other members of the association including : Meet your pharmacist by Pharm. Omolara Ebitigha; Hygiene by Pharm. Oluyemi Onakoya; Healthy nutrition & exercise, by Pharm. Hafsof Agbabiaka; Drug abuse and misuse by Pharm. Seliatu Ohimor.

Speaking earlier in her opening remarks, the Chairperson, Lagos State ALPs, Pharm. Modupe Alli, appreciated all the participants and members of the association for making the 2019 ALPs Day a reality, noting that it is important to put all the lectures delivered at the programme into use for better health outcomes.

Alli, who was represented by the Lagos ALPs vice-chairperson, Pharm. Nsese Mfon, said people should endeavour to exercise regularly, as well as put their mobile phones into better use to enhance their wellness.