Medications Checklist for Japarians

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The efflux of people from Nigeria will not stop soon. Frequently, doctors who practise in Nigeria get calls from their clients who have migrated to Europe and North America, complaining that they cannot consult doctors in their new country immediately for mild complaints. They affirm that emergency complaints are given priority.

The inability of Japarians to consult a doctor despite having health insurance as fast as they could in Nigeria is one of the early culture shocks they experience in their new countries.

The truth is, the system abroad is actually the ideal. Many minor complaints we use medications for in Nigeria will resolve spontaneously. If you pay consultation fee to a doctor in Nigeria and he says, “Go and ‘sin’ no more,” without any medication, most of us find it absurd and resort to alternative medicines which have unpredictable effects on the body.

For those taking medications for chronic diseases (hypertension, diabetes,etc), it’s wise to consult your doctors and inform them of your plans to relocate abroad. Get prescription medications that will last you for at least three months during which you may not have access to the specialist doctors abroad except you have an emergency.

Also, most Nigerians abroad who have not been gainfully employed find their medications expensive when compared to the costs in Nigeria.

So, if you plan to japa, the medications below are some you should take along.

1. Antimalarial medications: In temperate countries in Europe and North America, transmission of malarial parasite is low due to their relatively low temperature compared to sub-saharan Africa. So, malarial infections are uncommon, hence, you may not readily get antimalarial medications (I stand to be corrected). Having lived in Nigeria for years and survived repeated malarial infections, some persons may still have malarial parasite in their blood or liver for days or weeks, yet feel well. Getting abroad, they may develop symptoms of malaria.

2. Medications to reduce symptoms of upper respiratory viral infections like catarrh, cough or congestion of the nose.

3. Pain relievers

4. Common antibiotics. Get branded ones which have better efficacy.

5. Routine medications for those who have recurrent allergies (asthma, etc), hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

6. Any other medication prescribed by your doctor.


Ademola Orolu


About the writer

Ademola is a Consultant Family Physician and writer. He founded the online health magazine, The Family Doctors, and was its Editor-in-Chief from 2017 to 2020, when he wounded up the magazine to concentrate  on his full-time medical practice, Nathaniel Health Consulting, Matogbun, Ogun State. 

He is an author of many books including storybooks. He regularly writes on health-promoting topics and promotes positive behavioural change in his articles. 




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