Typhoid and Medication
Written by: Muhammad Nasir Sirat
Typhoid is a bacterial infection disease that could lead to high fever, diarrhea, and vomiting. It could be fatal. The infection is often passed on through contaminated food and drinking water, and it is more prevalent in places where handwashing is less frequent. The typhoid patient must take the medicines according to the doctor’s advice otherwise he/she might face some crucial health problems.
AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some patients and a doctor about this issue.
Fatima, a resident of Dasht-e-Barchi, district 5 of Kabul city says, “I am suffering from typhoid. The doctor advised medicines but I did not take them on time. Now I face more health problems. I suffering from hot fever, anemia, and general weakness.”
Ziagul, a resident of Kapisa province says, “I am suffering from brucellosis and the doctor advised me medication four times but I did not take the whole medicines and now I am suffering from body ache, shivering, sweating, and headache and lost my appetite.”
Doctor Faridullah Omari, an internist at contagious diseases hospital in Kabul city says, “If the typhoid patients do not take their medicines regularly according to the instructions of the physician, it might cause the disease to progress and lose their body exemptions and causes serious disorders, including joint disorders, usually in the lumbar vertebrae; liver enlargement; problems with the nervous system; headaches; depression, and some other illnesses.”
What do some people think about the causes of not taking medicines on time?
Khalilurahman, a resident of Kapisa province says, “Most of the family members do not pay attention to give the medicines on time to the patient according to the doctor's advice and this issue causes the patient more health problems.”
Wahida, a resident of Shakardar district, Kabul province says, “Illiteracy of the patients or the members of the families might cause to not give the medicines to the patients on time and some people do not care about the disease and they do not take all the advised medicines.”
Doctor Omari says confirms what do the people say and he adds, “When some patients feel better after taking some medicines, they do not take the remaining medicines. Some patients take some medicines less or more than the prescription and it might cause some health problems.”
How do people solve this problem?
My mother is suffering from brucellosis and we took her to the hospital. The doctor advised her some medicines and we give her the medicines according to the physician’s advice, and I am sure that she would get better soon.”
Naseer Ahmad Ahmadi had a trip to Ghazni province and there has talked to Shabir Ahmad, whose nephew was suffering from typhoid. Shabir Ahmad says, “My nephew was not taking his medicines according to the doctor advice, his disease increased and we took him again to the doctor and now we help him in taking medicines and if he goes somewhere, one of our family members accompany him and gives his medicines and now he is better than before.”