Patients consulting the internet instead of qualified medical practitioners for their healthcare needs have their condition worsened with fake health advice and unverified remedies spreading rapidly on social media platforms. From infertility issues, dangerous weight-loss hacks to misleading herbal concoctions for chronic diseases, IDOWU ABDULLAHI reports on how health misinformation increases Nigeria’s disease burden
Anjorin Oladunni had spent the better part of the last four years chasing the dream of motherhood. For the 30-year-old Lagos-based fashion designer, each month that came with hope later ended in the humbling silence of disappointment.
In her fourth year of marriage, hospitals and clinics had become familiar places, with experts recommending In Vitro Fertilization, which she was told was a 50-50 chance.
The uncertainty of the option sat heavily in her heart. Still, she carried on, clinging to hope and the idea that a solution existed somewhere.
Almost depressed about her condition, a close friend whispered an advert she had seen on a WhatsApp status about a traditional healer, with testimonies of women conceiving after years of barrenness.
With the several disappointments she had faced, it wasn’t hard for Oladunni’s friend to convince her that natural medicine was the true answer.
In the hope of having her own child, Oladunni agreed.
“I told her I didn’t mind because I was desperate for a solution. It was actually a case of infertility. I had been moving from one medical doctor to another, and at this point, the only option they were offering me was IVF, which they described as a 50-50 chance. That was all they could offer medically.
“Every other option they mentioned was either adoption, surrogacy, or another surgery, which would be my third. I knew I could not go through another surgery. Financially, too, I could not afford surrogacy, I could not afford IVF, and I could not afford another surgery. When it comes to surgery, I have already done enough,” she told our correspondent.
When she reached out to the traditional healer, he welcomed her warmly, speaking with the certainty of a man who carried secrets that science did not.
She said, “I explained my situation to the man, and he told me there were drugs for it. The herbal drugs came in different forms: two plastic containers of liquid and one item wrapped in newspaper containing two rough, round substances.
“The instructions were to drink the two liquid containers first, one after the other on consecutive days, then on the third day, to use one of the substances wrapped in newspaper by inserting it very deeply into my vagina. I was instructed not to use the second one unless I was given further instructions.”
Discharge from the private part
After following the instructions, Oladunni pushed aside the discomfort from the heat she felt inside her body, telling herself it was the cleansing at work.
But on the third night, the pain sharpened. By morning, everything went wrong, and her body betrayed her in a torrent of agony.
“I took the two liquid containers as instructed, then on the third day, I used the inserted one. It was very rough and big, but I managed to insert it in the morning since I wasn’t going out. For hours, I felt normal. But that night, everything went wrong.
“I woke up burning. My vagina was literally on fire. The pain was unbearable—I couldn’t sit, stand, talk, or sleep. I was rolling on the floor, crying, and my husband was alarmed. I was told not to remove it no matter what, so I endured the whole night with my vagina burning. By morning, it began melting out, and I felt some relief, but the fire sensation continued.
“By the next day, I started discharging a clear but terribly smelly fluid. It wouldn’t stop. I had to wear pads constantly because all my clothes were getting soaked. This lasted for about 5 to 6 days. Eventually, the remaining substance came out of me, and the discharge reduced,” Oladunni said.
Aside from the smelly discharge, she also said she was producing excess saliva.
“I was spitting nonstop and could only control it by sucking on mint sweets. I finished packets of Baba Blue daily just to cope. This went on for almost three weeks. Eventually, I had to go to a private hospital. At the hospital, they treated me with drips and drugs. After some time, I finally felt better. The entire ordeal lasted from February 8th until about mid-March 2025,” she said.
For the fashion designer, the very cure she believed in had stolen what little chance she had left of conceiving.
“Since then, I have avoided unorthodox medicine completely because I don’t want to risk anything again. Fertility or no fertility, I have given up. If I can eventually afford IVF, good. If not, I am on my own,” she told our correspondent.
Flood of misinformation
Oladunni’s story is not isolated. Across Nigeria, thousands are falling victim to health misinformation on social media and from unverified sources, often with devastating consequences.
From infertility, infections, and diabetes ‘cures’ to quick-fix body enhancement pills, many Nigerians are gambling with their health based on what they read, watch, or buy online.
It was gathered that Oladunni’s ordeal was a symptom of a larger problem, the unchecked spread of health misinformation across Nigeria’s digital space.
From myths passed down through generations to viral posts on social media, health misinformation has always existed. But today, social media gives it wings, spreading faster than the truth and shaping dangerous behaviours that undermine public health.
The rise of this trend, our correspondent gathered, is driven by social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok, awash with influencers and vendors marketing unverified cures and miracle products.
With catchy slogans, before-and-after pictures, and paid reviews, they exploit people’s insecurities and health struggles.
While the internet has democratised information, it has also allowed misinformation to spread unchecked.
It was gathered that many Nigerians, desperate for a quick fix, are falling victim to unscrupulous vendors who exploit their insecurity by selling products without safety standards, and the consequences can be deadly.
In a review published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organisation, the authors found that health misinformation causes confusion and risk-taking behaviours that can harm an individual’s health.
The review listed repercussions of health misinformation on social media to include “an increase in erroneous interpretation of scientific knowledge, opinion polarization, escalating fear and panic, or decreased access to health care”.
In recent years, the rise of misinformation has become a major global concern, cutting across different sectors, especially healthcare, and Nigeria is not immune.
Findings show that false claims and unverified advice are increasingly shaping how people seek treatment, often undermining health care delivery and putting lives at risk.
Complications galore
Ashamed by the size of his penis, Idris Saleem (not real name) began a search to change his condition. According to him, his size had stopped him from having a serious relationship.
After seeing multiple adverts on Facebook and TikTok promising ‘penis enlargement’ with quick results, the 29-year-old ordered the product online.
Within days of taking the pills, Saleem began to feel dizzy and weak. Soon after, he developed a severe backache that worsened until he could hardly sit upright.
With severe pain, he rushed to a private hospital, where doctors traced his condition to the unverified drug he had consumed.
“It was a crazy experience. I saw the advert online with a picture illustrating the possibility of enlargement for more inches. The page had many testimonies from people claiming it worked,” he said.
Saleem added, “When the backache started, I felt it was just normal, and I continued with the drugs, because it was a combination of pills and a powder substance. But when the pain got intense, I started feeling like my ribs were being stretched, so I had to rush to the hospital.
“To even explain what had happened to the doctor was another challenge because I was ashamed of myself. But with the pain, I had to come clean. It was a bitter experience.”
Saleem was admitted for two weeks before recovering.
Meanwhile, penis size, according to specialists in human sexology, does not impact sexual function or fertility significantly.
A Consultant Urologist, Dr Gabriel Ogah, said that size has nothing to do with the male reproductive organ’s functions.
The men’s reproductive health expert attributed the craze for longer penis size to exposure to porn, adding that most men who feel pressured have a normal size.
“It is rare for penis size to affect sexual function or satisfaction. Most penis are okay, it is just that a lot of young people nowadays are crazy about long penis due to their exposure to pornography and all that
“But for most people, the size of their penis is normal, and even the one described as small does not affect its intended functions. Most people’s penis are normal,” the expert said.
Kidney injury from online remedy
25-year-old Uzor Ifeanyi believed she had found an easy fix to her constant fatigue after purchasing a dark herbal concoction on Instagram with promises it would ‘flush’ her system and restore lost energy.
Uzor ordered two bottles and began taking them daily. For her, the remedy was cheap, far less than what a hospital check-up and proper treatment would cost.
At first, she felt a burst of energy and told herself the mixture was working.
But by the fourth week, she noticed her urine had turned darker, and she was constantly thirsty. Soon, her legs began to swell, and she felt an unrelenting pain in her lower back.
By the time her mother rushed her to the emergency ward of a Federal Medical Centre in a South Western state, doctors confirmed she was suffering from acute kidney injury.
The concoction, they explained, had likely contained toxic substances that overwhelmed her kidneys.
“The herbs she consumed led to chronic kidney injury that landed her in the hospital because she had started swelling, which was called Edema.
“She had to immediately undergo dialysis to remove the excess fluid from her body to reduce the swelling; the procedure cost the family all their savings.
“Her family couldn’t afford the next round of dialysis, so they had to seek funds from the public. It was pathetic,” Uzor’s friend, who was privy to the incident, told our correspondent.
Night of passion gone wrong
Kunle Folarin was 32 when he decided to try something new. He had planned a night with his girlfriend, who was coming down from Kwara to visit him in Lagos.
In his preparation to sexually satisfy her after almost a year of a long-distance relationship, he stumbled on an advert promising natural stamina and clicked and ordered.
On that day, the Lagos-based graphic designer swallowed the capsule with excitement, certain he had unlocked the secret to unforgettable passion.
“I was extremely tired that day, and my girlfriend was coming from outside Lagos to visit me, and I thought it wouldn’t be right if I couldn’t perform because she would be expecting something,” he told our correspondent.
While he had a good time, his erection refused to fade after the encounter ended. By morning, the pain was sharp, his body trembling with fear.
“During sex, I was very strong, agile, and active. But afterwards, I couldn’t get myself together. I was very weak, seriously down. For a long time, I had an erection, and I had no choice but to run to the hospital. But at the end of the day, I got to know it was the drug I had taken,” he added.
When he finally arrived at the hospital, doctors diagnosed him with priapism. According to experts, priapism is a prolonged, painful erection.
If left untreated, the experts explained that the condition could destroy a man’s ability to function sexually.
For Folarin, the pill that promised him confidence nearly stole it forever.
“The drug was two tablets, which I had seen testimonials online. I took them, thinking it would make me stronger because I was so weak. I never knew the implications. I later found out that what I took was 100mg each, making 200mg in total,” he said.
Driving factors
Findings revealed that several factors make Nigerians particularly vulnerable to health misinformation, including the high cost of healthcare, stigma, secrecy, and literacy, among others.
Our correspondent gathered that the rising cost of healthcare in Nigeria is pushing many citizens towards cheap online remedies, often at great risk to their health.
For a significant number of people, visiting a hospital has become a last resort due to consultation fees, diagnostic charges, and soaring drug prices.
The situation is now dire as the prices of orthodox drugs have recorded an over 900 per cent increase since the second quarter of 2024.
The increase began as an aftermath of the fuel subsidy removal; the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria to allow a free float of the naira in the international market, which led to further depreciation of the naira, and the exit of the British Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline in August 2023.
This has further mounted pressure on Nigerians who have grappled with high drug prices since the country imports most of its pharmaceutical products from India, China, Malaysia, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
In contrast, online remedies appear quicker, easier, and more affordable.
Beyond cost, our correspondent gathered that stigma plays a powerful role in driving people online for health solutions. Sensitive issues such as infertility, sexual performance, or body enhancement remain topics of secrecy in many homes.
Findings revealed that rather than open up to medical professionals, many quietly search the internet and social media platforms, making them easy targets for unverified claims and dangerous concoctions.
Another factor fueling the trend, it was gathered, is low health literacy, as many Nigerians lack the knowledge to critically evaluate medical information online. Faced with persuasive marketing and promises of quick fixes, many Nigerians often fail to separate genuine treatments from harmful products.
Way forward
Researchers, in their paper entitled “Infodemics and health misinformation: a systematic review of reviews”, published in the WHO Bulletin, explained that experts and health professionals are among those best equipped to refute misinformation and direct users to evidence-based information sources.
They added that countermeasures for health misinformation include awareness campaigns for patients and health-care professionals, platforms with evidence-based data, the inclusion of scientific evidence in health-related content in mass media, and efforts to improve media and health literacy.
“Promoting and disseminating trustworthy health information is crucial for governments, health authorities, researchers, and clinicians to outweigh false or misleading health information disseminated on social media,” they said.
They conclude that the effects of infodemics and health misinformation online can be countered by “developing legal policies, creating and promoting awareness campaigns, improving health-related content in mass media, and increasing people’s digital and health literacy”.
The researchers added, “Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram are critical in disseminating the rapid and far-reaching spread of information”.
Experts weigh in
As Nigerians continue to embrace social media as a marketplace for everything from food to fashion, senior physicians have warned that health cannot be treated the same way.
They argued that behind the glossy adverts and glowing testimonies may lie dangerous substances that wreck lives.
Speaking exclusively with our correspondent, a Professor of Public Health at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Tanimola Akande, warned Nigerians against the growing reliance on social media for health advice and remedies, describing it as a double-edged sword that could worsen illnesses.
Akande said that while sourcing information from social platforms can sometimes be useful, much of the content is misleading, unscientific, and largely promoted for profit by unqualified individuals.
“Sourcing information on health remedies from social media can be beneficial and can also be dangerous. Most of the information on health remedies on social media is misinformation and non-scientific. Most of those health remedies are not put through clinical trials to confirm their efficacy. Most of the people behind such information are not well-trained health practitioners. A lot of the information is for money-making,” he said.
He stressed that adopting false remedies or advice often leads to worsened conditions and complications.
“The danger of relying on such information is that people tend to believe this misinformation and go on to use such health remedies. Most often, the illness worsens, and complications set in. Such people often present late in the hospital when treatment will either be very costly or too late to properly manage the illness. The practice is sometimes driven by ignorance and poor financial access to good health care, among others,” Akande noted.
According to him, the menace cuts across all categories of Nigerians, virtually all groups, the educated, uneducated, young, and old, are vulnerable in Nigeria.
He linked the spread of both preventable communicable diseases and the rising burden of non-communicable diseases to the unchecked circulation of fake health remedies online.
“Certainly, fake health remedies on social media contribute significantly to the spread of preventable communicable diseases. It also leads to an increased burden of non-communicable diseases,” he warned.
Akande lamented the absence of strong regulation to curb misinformation on health matters in Nigeria, noting that while global efforts were underway, the country still lagged behind.
“Unfortunately, it appears there is no regulatory body addressing misinformation on social media. Of recent, the World Health Organisation has set up programmes to address it. Social media are hardly regulated in Nigeria. This gives room for a lot of misinformation. Regulatory bodies need to come up with measures to address the increasing challenge of social media health remedies with misinformation,” he stated.
According to him, improving access to quality healthcare and expanding health insurance would reduce Nigerians’ dependence on unverified social media remedies.
“To reduce reliance on social media for health remedies, the government needs to improve access to health care and improve the quality of health service delivery. Health insurance coverage should be improved rapidly. There is also a need for health education at all levels on misinformation from social media on health remedies,” he advised.
On his part, a Professor of Medicine at the University of Ilorin, Prof. James Ogunmodede, warned that false claims circulating on social media are driving people into harmful medical decisions.
According to him, misleading content online often lures people into buying products they do not need, taking substances that could damage their health, or consulting practitioners who expose them to wrong treatments.
“Misinformation can also lead people to make wrong decisions and take wrong actions. Based on false information, people buy products they do not need, buy products that may harm them, or visit practitioners who could subject them to wrong treatment. So these, among others, are some of the roles misinformation plays, especially in this age of social media,” Ogunmodede said.
He stressed that one of the most dangerous outcomes of misinformation is self-medication, noting that many people act on unverified online advice without consulting their doctors.
“The way out is that any information people see on social media should always be clarified with their doctors before they follow or accept it. At times, people even do harmful things to themselves, taking substances that damage their health, because of something they read online. It is important to always cross-check with a doctor before taking any action based on health information found on social media,” he cautioned.
Ogunmodede decried the trend of patients abandoning prescribed medications in favour of unproven remedies promoted online, saying the practice worsens chronic health conditions.
“It is becoming more prevalent now for people to see information or a product online, then abandon their prescribed medication to follow it. We must mention, firstly, that many of these products promoted online have not been verified to be effective for the diseases they claim to treat. In our country, certification often only refers to the safety of the medication, not whether it will truly achieve what is claimed,” he explained.
The don added that discontinuing essential treatment for conditions like hypertension and diabetes often sets patients on the path to life-threatening complications.
“And then very importantly, when people stop their prescribed medication, conditions like hypertension and diabetes become uncontrolled. Over time, uncontrolled conditions damage body organs. Several years down the line, individuals become at risk of complications such as heart failure, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, peripheral vascular disease, and premature blindness, especially in the setting of hypertension and diabetes,” Ogunmodede warned.
We’re working to flag harmful content online – NAFDAC
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has said it is intensifying efforts to curb the spread of harmful health content on social media, online platforms, and traditional media.
When contacted, the Resident Media Consultant to NAFDAC, Sayo Akintola, told PUNCH Healthwise that the agency was working closely with online platforms and media professionals to ensure that misleading health information is flagged and addressed.
“We are actually doing that. Not only with online platforms but also with conventional newspapers. We work with health correspondents and editors, engaging them regularly so they are aware of what we do. With online platforms, we are building a more robust relationship to ensure harmful health content is flagged and addressed,” he said.
Akintola stressed that the agency is not only concerned but actively taking action against those behind false health claims, noting that its Investigation and Enforcement Directorate continues to monitor activities and prosecute offenders.
“We are not only concerned, we are doing something about it. Our Investigation and Enforcement Directorate officials are always on the lookout for such people. Anyone caught will be prosecuted. That is the truth of the matter,” he stated.
He disclosed that the law prescribes imprisonment and fines for offenders, adding that several cases are currently being prosecuted.
“I can actually tell you that as of now, it carries several years of imprisonment, alongside fines. In fact, as we speak, there are a number of cases under prosecution. Every day, someone is being caught and is facing the law. We prosecute them because we know these activities are harmful to public health,” Akintola explained.
The NAFDAC spokesperson also said the agency was prioritising sensitisation and public enlightenment campaigns to help Nigerians understand the dangers of buying medicines online.
“We also do a lot of sensitisation and public enlightenment to let Nigerians know that such practices are inimical to their well-being. People must understand the dangers of buying drugs or medicines online. Instead of falling for fake claims, why not go to a registered pharmacy? At the pharmacy, you can see the product before paying for it. You can check the label, read the literature, and review side effects,” he advised.
He further cautioned that many unverified products are marketed with exaggerated claims, often ignoring the risks and side effects that could worsen preexisting medical conditions.
“Nigerians must be educated enough to know that certain medical conditions can interact negatively with side effects, and ignoring this can cause serious harm. Marketers may present a product beautifully, promising that it will cure everything, but the risks are real,” Akintola warned.
The spokesperson added that the NAFDAC Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, was working assiduously in partnership with the National Assembly to review the aspects of punishment for infractions by drug merchants or fake or substandard and falsified medicines through a review of the extant laws.
“For instance, the DG had repeatedly solicited stiffer penalties for offenders of fake drugs and unwholesome food products. She had even suggested the death penalty to serve as a deterrent to other potential offenders. The law promulgated many years ago stipulates a fine of about N250k for an offender of fake drugs that is capable of killing thousands of people if found guilty by the court, or between six months and two years.
“This has made the illicit trade highly lucrative and less dangerous. It serves as an incentive to the merchants of death in our society who put more premium on huge profits over the lives of their fellow Nigerians who consume the poison called fake medicinal products. The Senate Committee is also working with the agency to review the law and make the fake drug business unattractive in the country,” Akintola said.
The Punch
