The Association of Medical Officers of Health in Lagos has warned that reliance on self-medication and over-the-counter drugs could delay early detection and appropriate treatment of health conditions.

Chairman of the association, Dr Adeleke Awolesi, urged Nigerians to make primary healthcare centres (PHCs) their first point of contact for health concerns rather than relying on pharmacies, patent medicine vendors or self-medication.

He spoke during the second edition of Wellness Diary Live, a health webinar organised by Brand Multimedia Communication Network, themed “Primary Health Care and Everyday Wellness: Why Community Health Matters.”

Awolesi, who is a Medical Officer of Health in Lagos State, said PHCs were designed to provide accessible and affordable essential health services, including prevention, health education, early detection, immunisation, maternal and child healthcare, treatment of minor ailments and referral of cases requiring higher-level care.

He said bypassing PHCs for over-the-counter medication could undermine early detection and appropriate treatment.

Awolesi also identified declining immunisation coverage and vaccine hesitancy in Lagos as concerns requiring stronger community engagement. He urged parents to ensure their children received vaccines according to the recommended schedule and to seek reliable medical information when confronted with vaccine-related misconceptions.

He called for greater community ownership of primary healthcare, saying traditional and community leaders, religious organisations, civil society groups and other community-based institutions should support preventive healthcare and encourage residents to use available PHC services.

He also urged traditional birth attendants to promptly refer pregnant women requiring skilled medical attention, particularly where complications could develop.

Awolesi called for greater government investment in PHC infrastructure and services, stressing that strengthening primary healthcare was critical to improving access and health outcomes.

Earlier, the Convener of Wellness Diary Live, Aderayo Olaiya, said primary healthcare should form part of everyday wellness rather than being discussed only during outbreaks or major health crises.

Olaiya said preventive care, immunisation, early detection and appropriate treatment should be part of routine healthcare, adding that stronger communication between health professionals and the public was needed to bridge information gaps.

She said the media also had a responsibility to amplify patients’ experiences and encourage conversations that could lead to better healthcare services and healthier communities.

The webinar also focused on patient experience and respectful maternity care after a participant, Ibiremi Ibikunle-Ayeni, shared her experience of delivering her baby at a PHC in Lagos.

Ibikunle-Ayeni described the delivery as positive, saying she received free care and support from a nurse. However, she recounted an earlier encounter with healthcare personnel during a pre-labour assessment which she described as painful and lacking compassion.

Responding, Awolesi said Lagos State had introduced training programmes on respectful maternity care, alongside feedback mechanisms aimed at improving interactions between health workers and patients.

He added that the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board had been restructured into six districts to strengthen supervision, training and service delivery across primary healthcare facilities.