They stressed that caring for diabetic foot sores requires special care that the chemists cannot provide.

Speaking with PUNCH HealthWise, the experts, a professor of medicine with the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Dr. Okon Essien and a matron with the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Mrs. Rachael Adeoti stressed that taking care of diabetic wounds goes beyond the dressing.

Essien, who is a specialist in endocrinology likened going to a chemist to treat diabetic wounds to a person whose cloth is torn who decides to visit a carpenter to mend it.

“Actually, the chemist is not trained to manage illnesses. They are trained to dispense medications but they are doing so many things now.

“However, the people that go there must have their reasons for going there for healthcare. Sometimes it is near and convenient to them.

“Sometimes they think anybody selling medication has an idea of what to do. Sometimes they try to save money because they believe that if they go to the hospital they will pay.”

He said while it is a question of choice which they are allowed to make, the attendant consequence could be deadly.

“Sometimes the person will justify why they do it, however, they end up in the hospital when the wound has been messed up and at that time, it is already too late and they are offered the final treatment which is a lifesaving amputation,” he said.

He explained that to take care of a diabetic sore, “You control so many things: blood pressure, you’d check if the kidneys are functioning optimally because if they are failing, the chance of coming out of that wound is very reduced.

“So there are many things that are done in the hospital while treating the wound of a diabetes patient. That is why we advise patients to go to the hospital.

“The hospital will know what to do for you. It is not just about buying drugs or going to dress the wound. There are many things you should not dress the wound with but if you go to those sorts of places to dress your wound as a diabetes patient the people can do all sorts of things.”

Essien also urged chemists to direct the persons with diabetes that come to them to the hospitals instead for proper treatment.

On her part, Adeoti, a public health nurse, stressed that taking care of diabetic wounds goes beyond dressing.

She explained that it includes taking care and note of the patient’s sugar level, and also taking care of the microorganisms that may be surrounding the wounds, noting that this is better done in a hospital.

“The reason why it is wrong to visit a chemist to treat diabetic sores is because of the sugar level. They might not know the extent of the wound. They would just dress it anyhow. And because the sugar level is high, no matter the state of the dressing, it will not be adequate because the sugar level has not been controlled.

“The excess sugar within the body system and the unseen microorganism that will always stay around the wound area will prevent the healing and more so the person that attends to them at the chemist shop, is the person a nurse? Do they know about wound care? So, it is better in the hospital than going to the chemist,” she said.

She said, “By the time they (the chemists) can no longer care for the wound they push them to the hospital, and by then it would be for amputation of the leg because of the delay in coming to the hospital.

“So, that is why we educate anybody with diabetes to take proper care of their wounds and report to the hospital immediately.”

The specialists reiterated that taking care of diabetes goes beyond medication.

“Diabetes is a chronic illness; it can be life-threatening when complications set in,” he warned.

Source: healthwise