CHENNAI: In a bid to spread awareness on the harmful effects of self-medication, MA Communication Department of Women’s Christian College organised a public relations campaign titled, ‘Soch’ on their college premises on Monday. Indian playback singer and actor, Vijay Yesudas was the chief guest of the event and Dr S Roopa from the department of Physiology, Panimalar Medical College and Hospital was the keynote speaker.
“Both working women and students pop in medicines as and when they feel like. They are not aware of the harmful effects of the combination of drugs or how dangerous self-medication can get.
The students conducted a study with about 450 respondents to find out the percentage of people opting for self-medication and we were alarmed at the results — 74 per cent of the total respondents have done self-medication. That is why, we have embarked on Soch, meaning ‘to think’, before they medicate,” said Asha Alexander, associate professor, Department of Communication.
Delivering her keynote address, Dr Roopa said, “We tend to take our bodies for granted and exploit it to such an extent where the damage is irreversible. The protocol for any ailment is diagnosis, investigation and treatment. If you skip all the steps and directly treat, it can even prove fatal. Also, a doctor must be consulted even for taking multivitamin tablets, as you might be overdosing on them.”
She said that if patients keep popping the same pill for the same issue, it might not work after a point. “Antimicrobial resistance is the ability of a microbe to resist the effects of medication that once could successfully treat the microbe. So, one cannot use the same prescription to treat, in case the problem recurs,” she said.
The department of MA Communication has been conducting PR campaigns on various socially relevant topics since 2001, including Agni on women’s issues, Sparsh on breast cancer awareness and Snooze on the importance of sleep.