Medications are not part of a first aid kit!
Let us rephrase that: Medications are not part of the content of the first aid box you purchase for your use.
Can you put medications in a first aid kit? Yes! Though in homes, we prefer you put them in a separate medicine cabinet that is out of reach of children.
Why not?
Medications are the responsibilities of pharmacists. Buy OTCs (over-the counter medicines) e.g. paracetamol, from reputable pharmacies so you can be sure it is not fake, it was stored properly and it has not expired!
An added value of buying from a pharmacy is that you would be told how to use it properly and what to watch out for; medication safety is important.
What we have continually found out is that Nigerians expect it as part of the content of a first aid box or kit that they buy from Levande or others; this is wrong. Naija, we know we are different, but let us not put our health and safety at risk. The list of medications you ask to be in your first aid boxes is alarming. 😳😳 Let us not pop pills as if they are candy, even OTCs (medicines that do not need a prescription) can be abused and misused to your detriment.
What could happen?
Think about it! How do you think first aid boxes are stored before purchase? You do realise that they are stored in hot, humid conditions in stores and warehouses which is not ideal for medications, right?
Also, do you think the first assembled first aid box or first aid kit is the first one sold or it is at the bottom of the stack? If medications are in that bottom stack, would you trust it?
By the way, antibiotics are prescription medication and SHOULD NOT be purchased for your first aid kits. Ideally, no pharmacists will sell it without a prescription – it is that serious.
That you have done a particular thing or see others do it does not make it right. Google first aid boxes or kits for sale in any country and you will NEVER find any medication among the content. Medication are not to be played with or handled carelessly. You only use them when the benefits outweigh the risks.
Be responsible for your safety. Be sure of what you put in your body! Please stay safe. 🙏🏽
