A pharmacist, Mrs Nkem Ogbidi-Emmanuel of Bestcare Pharmacy, Benin, has warned against treating persistent respiratory symptoms as an ordinary cold, saying such assumptions could delay diagnosis and increase the risk of serious complications.
Ogbidi-Emmanuel, in an interview with NAN, explained that pneumonia is a lung infection and is not caused simply by exposure to rain, cold weather, fans or air-conditioning. She said pneumonia can, however, present with symptoms similar to common respiratory illnesses.
She advised people experiencing persistent or worsening cough, fever, wheezing, chest discomfort or breathing difficulties to seek professional medical assessment rather than relying on self-diagnosis or medicines recommended by friends and relatives.
The pharmacist particularly urged parents and caregivers to take respiratory symptoms in children seriously, noting that pneumonia can become severe when treatment is unnecessarily delayed. She also stressed that pneumonia and asthma may have similar symptoms but require different approaches to diagnosis and treatment.
Ogbidi-Emmanuel urged pharmacists to properly assess clients and refer them to hospitals whenever symptoms require further clinical evaluation. She said early professional intervention was important in preventing complications from respiratory infections.
Pneumonia is an acute infection of the lungs that can be caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. In severe cases, the air sacs in the lungs can fill with fluid or pus, making breathing difficult.
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