A lady health expert has warned the citizens to stay away from self-medication practices as it can cause severe adverse reactions and mask to severe diseases.

Dr Ruqaiya S Qureshi, an executive of a private pharmaceutical company, was speaking at the 57th Public Awareness Seminar on "Self-Medication" held at the Dr Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi here on Friday. Dr Panjwani Centre and Virtual Education Project Pakistan (VEPP) jointly organised the seminar with an objective to raise public awareness about most important current challenges, which our nation is facing.

Dr Qureshi said that self-medication was defined as the selection and use of medicines by individuals to treat self-recognised or self-diagnosed conditions or symptoms. She pointed out that every member of the society was required to know about himself, and create awareness among others, adding that health was a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

In most illness episodes, self-medication is the first option which makes it a common practice worldwide, she said, adding that use of medications without prior medical consultation regarding indication, dosage, and duration of treatment is referred to as self-medication.

Consequences of self-medication include incorrect self-diagnosis, delays in seeking appropriate medical advice, potential adverse reactions, worsening of the condition, dangerous drug interaction, masking of severe diseases and risk of dependence and abuse, the lady expert said.

Most common health issues in Pakistan include malaria, tuberculosis, dengue fever, cancer, ischemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health, acute respiratory infection, hypertension, asthma, diarrhoea and mental health, she said.

Talking about nutrition, she said that nutrition was input and a foundation for health and development, saying that healthy food and diet make a body fit and immune to diseases.

She said, "Freedom from hunger and malnutrition is a human right."