The Pharmafluence Education Advancement Network (PEAN), supported by the British Pharmacological Society, will hold a community outreach on Saturday, 23 August, at Ungwan Rimi Market in Kaduna to promote safe medicine use.
In a statement issued to journalists on Tuesday, August 19, PEAN’s leader, Kenneth David, announced that the event aims to educate traders, artisans, and shoppers about the risks of unsafe medical practices.
The outreach follows a successful month-long medication safety campaign, which included a seminar at Narayi High School in Kaduna, reaching over 350 participants.
“The seminar broke down what often sounds like complex hospital talk into simple, memorable principles, ensuring the right person takes the right medicine, for the right condition, at the right time, through the right route, and for the right duration,” David said.
Participants at the seminar pledged to become medication safety ambassadors in their communities.
David highlighted practical tips shared during the campaign, such as storing medicines away from sunlight, moisture, and children’s reach, and avoiding expired products.
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“People were surprised to learn that poor storage can render medicines harmful or ineffective even before their printed expiry date. This shows us how much the community needs such interventions, and that is why our upcoming outreach at Ungwan Rimi is so important,” he noted.
He expressed concern that many people unknowingly purchase medicines from unqualified sources, risking dangerous side effects and treatment failures.
The outreach will focus on equipping market women, youth, commercial motorcyclists, food vendors, and shoppers with knowledge to make informed health decisions.
“PEAN is working to reduce the risks associated with unsafe medicine use in Nigeria,” David said, underscoring the initiative’s goal to empower communities for safer health practices.