Why you must allow Community Pharmacists manager your chronic illnesses

 

By Okechukwu Onuegbu 

Chronic diseases are not a death sentence. It doesn't matter if you are living with HIV, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, arthritis or some other cardiovascular diseases. Having found out your health status, kindly embrace the community pharmacists as your trusted confidants. You stand to gain significantly from them at little or no cost every day.
If you are living within Anambra State, ask of the members of Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN). ACPN members, due to their expertise; experience, accessibility and frequent contact with patients, could manage your health to an extent that people who thought you are dying because of your conduction will rather start testifying on your behalf. Yes. ACPN members are professionals 'ordained' by God for effective management of your health!
The Community Pharmacists are:
Accessible;
In Anambra State, for instance, they are the most accessible healthcare providers you can trust. They are available in your streets, across the 179 communities and 21 Local Government Areas. Therefore, you can easily reach them more frequently even through phone calls, text message, emails and other communication channels for follow-ups and your proper medication.
Medication Management
The ACPN members will provide you with that proper medication therapy. They help patients understand and manage their prescriptions, observe and support changes in lifestyle necessary for disease control. When you are around them, you will be subjected to proper health education with regards to nutrition, proper drug use, exercise, smoking cessation, alcohol moderation, and stress management which could worsen the chronic illnesses. This will assist in reducing complications, enhanced quality of life, and lower healthcare costs.
Professional Support
They provide professional counselling for the patients to understand why they were told to take medicines for life, adhere strictly to the prescriptions, make adjustments, among others.
Monitoring and Screening
They will frequently monitor your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, weight, among others. If the Community Pharmacists detect a worsening health conditions early, they will advise the patients to see a doctor to avoid complications.
Emotional and Social Support
The community pharmacists provide emotional and social support to Patients because of their availability. This regular interaction builds trust, enhance social life, help patients feel supported in managing lifelong conditions, prevents feeling of loneliness that could lead the patients into depression or sudden death.

Therefore, if you or a loved one is living with a chronic illness, just know that it is not a death sentence. All you need do is to locate a community pharmacists near you now! They will help in reducing your burden to a barest minimum!!!