The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) is encouraging communities to use medicines responsibly. Medicines play a crucial role in preventing, managing, and treating illnesses. When used correctly, they can help people recover from diseases, manage chronic conditions, and improve their quality of life. The department is promoting responsible medicine use by advising communities to take treatment as prescribed, store medicines correctly, and safely dispose of unused or expired medication.
Taking medicines as prescribed is essential for their effectiveness. Skipping doses, taking medication incorrectly, or stopping treatment without consulting a healthcare professional can reduce the effectiveness of treatment and put patients at risk of serious health complications. This is particularly important for people living with chronic conditions such as HIV, tuberculosis, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, and mental health conditions.
The GDoH is also reminding the public that prescribed medicines should never be shared with others, even if their symptoms appear similar. Prescriptions are based on an individual's specific health condition, medical history, and treatment needs. A medicine that is safe and effective for one person could be harmful to another. This advice helps prevent adverse reactions and ensures that patients receive the right treatment for their specific condition.
The department is discouraging the misuse of antibiotics and promoting their responsible use. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections and are not effective against viral illnesses such as influenza and the common cold. The unnecessary use of antibiotics contributes to antimicrobial resistance, which can make infections more difficult to treat and increase the risk of complications.
Proper storage of medicines is also crucial for maintaining their safety, quality, and effectiveness. Medicines should be stored according to the instructions on the packaging or those provided by the healthcare professional who prescribed or dispensed them. The public is advised to keep medicines in their original packaging, out of reach of children, and away from direct sunlight and excessive heat and moisture.
The GDoH is encouraging the public to regularly check their medicine cabinets and safely dispose of medicines that have expired or are no longer needed. Unused medicines should never be thrown into toilets, sinks, or drains, as this can pose a risk to public health and the environment. Instead, members of the public are encouraged to return unused or expired medicines to a pharmacy, clinic, or hospital for safe and appropriate disposal.
Pharmacists play an important role in promoting medicine safety and responsible use. September is recognised as Pharmacy Awareness Month, and the theme this year is “Empowering Pharmacists for Healthier Futures”. Pharmacists and pharmacist assistants support patients through medicine counselling, treatment adherence support, healthcare education, and the promotion of safe and responsible medicine use.
Key points
- The Gauteng Department of Health encourages communities to take medicines as prescribed and store them correctly.
- The department discourages the misuse of antibiotics and promotes their responsible use.
- Pharmacists play a crucial role in promoting medicine safety and responsible use.
