By Abimbola Dolapo
A medical practitioner, Dr Nathaniel Adewole, has warned Nigerians on the use of concoction in treating infections.
Adewole told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that people should carry out tests before treating any type of infection.
He said that the test results would direct the medical personnel on the appropriate medication for the infection.
NAN reports that some Nigerians prefer to treat infections using some herbal treatment.
Some of these treatments involve steaming , ginger, onion, cloves and garlic together to drink or use for vaginal steaming.
Adewole, a gynecologist at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, said that the use of these concoctions was not the best form of treating infections.
He said Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) occured naturally like boil, and could spread within a day or a week, depending on the cause and the nature of the infection.
Adewole said that bladder stones could cause urinary tract infections, adding that anything that causes urine to be retained could cause infection.
He said that anti-biotic could be administered before the test results are out.
According to him, the concoction can be dangerous because one can’t really tell the active ingredients in the combination and how toxic it could be in the body,”
”How are we sure it is not all the herbal mixture that is causing the high rate of cancer in Nigeria.
”Not knowing the right dosage and which toxic substance will cause harm in the body.
“The steaming is even more dangerous, but both still has their effect,” he said.
Adewole advised that anything taken into the body should be regulated.
”When such in take is not regulated, it is very dangerous. We bring some of this dangers to ourselves without knowing,” he said.
Adewole added that he had always advised people not to use things they know nothing about, just because someone used it.
Miss Fatima Musa, a trader, said she uses cloves to treat infections each time she feels any irritation.
“You rinse the cloves in water then soak in water and drink it or wash the vagina with it.
“For me, using the herbs is preventing myself from contracting any form of infection. I also use medications given to me by my doctor.
“I use the concoction once every three months,” she said.
Musa said that since she started using the cloves solution; she has not experienced any infection.
“It is not expensive and it is something you use everyday even in your cooking,” she said.
Mrs Olabowale Gold, a civil servant, said the concoction was cheap and accessible, and saved her the stress of going to queue for hours at the hospital.
“The concoction is like a first aid treatment but in this case it is very effective.
”Anytime I feel any itch in my vagina, the first thing I do is to boil ginger, cloves and garlic and sit down on it for 30 minutes and it is very effective,” she said. (NAN)
