Only trained health workers should give injections, paediatricians warns

Child health experts has warned that only trained and qualified health workers should be allowed to administer injections.

According to them, injections should not just be given in any part of the buttocks, warning that injecting somebody on the wrong side of the buttocks, could cause irreversible damage to the nerves.

The experts warned that this might make walking very difficult for those affected for life.

One of the experts, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Dr. Beatrice Ezenwa, stated that there are particular areas for giving an injection in the buttocks in both adults and children.

The Consultant Neonatologist/Paediatrician with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, warned that untrained health workers and auxiliary nurses have no business administering injections.

The paediatrician explained that, “There are anatomical places where you can give an injection which you learn when you are in school.

“But quacks because they see people give injections in the buttocks, they feel that any part of the buttocks can be given injections and they cause problems.

“When you are to give injections, there are particular places you can give them.

“There are particular areas for giving an injection.”

Dr. Ezenwa noted that untrained health workers and auxiliary nurses who are not qualified to administer injections are the ones causing the problems.

“If somebody follows the guideline and protocol, they are not likely to cause any problems. It is those who do not know the rules that cause problems,” the paediatrician added.

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the buttocks should not be routinely used as a vaccination site for infants and children and, to avoid injury to the sciatic nerves.

“They are generally not used in adults. The central region of the buttocks should be avoided for all injections; the upper, outer quadrant should be used only for the largest volumes of injection,” CDC said.

Another paediatrician, Dr. Olatunde Odusote, also corroborated Ezenwa’s statement, saying there are ways to give injections in the buttocks without causing harm to the recipient.

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