Puntland politicians are whipping up a storm over an \u2018increased\u2019 sale of viagra to the unsuspecting public.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, local health officials appearing before a parliamentary committee were put to task to explain how they would tame what the MPs said was an increasing risk of exposing the public to health hazards by regulating the sale.<\/p>\n
It was the first time the legislators from the northeastern state of Somalia were raising such an issue, a previously held taboo and often discussed behind closed doors. It raised banter on social media too.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe medicine (viagra) results in a lot of dangers, including the deaths of some users,\u201d MP Abdigani Dhashane said at the sitting.<\/p>\n
His statement generated murmurs among other legislators. In reaction, Mr Dhashane added: \u201cthere is no embarrassment [to discuss this issue]. This is a serious health matter.\u201d <\/p>\n
Some members of the Puntland legislative assembly called for a ban on the drug primarily used on prescription to treat impotence in men.<\/p>\n
Puntland Health Minister Jama Farah Hassan, who appeared before the parliamentary team in the company of his deputy Sayid Omar Guled, had been invited to discuss medicines control when MPs raised concerns about viagra and other sex enhancement drugs.<\/p>\n
The legislators argue that uncontrolled usage of medicines poses more negative side effects than curative advantages.<\/p>\n
Mr Hassan promised more inspections of the sex enhancement drugs and other health products.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the concerns are ascertained, we shall take appropriate actions,\u201d the Health minister added.<\/p>\n
If administered under a doctor\u2019s watch, viagra, also known as sildenafil, can help treat impotence and erectile dysfunction by increasing blood flow to particular areas of the body, such as men\u2019s sexual organs.<\/p>\n
But it could also have side effects, especially in patients with heart or kidney ailments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Puntland politicians are whipping up a storm over an \u2018increased\u2019 sale of viagra to the unsuspecting public. On Tuesday, local health officials appearing before a parliamentary committee were put to task to explain how they would tame what the MPs said was an increasing risk of exposing the public to health hazards by regulating the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[453],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49924","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news-en"],"yoast_head":"\n