Pharmacist Musa A. Bello: Promoting health awareness through social media
In this week’s interview, Neptune Prime brought to you an award winner of essay writing, a dedicated pharmacist from Zaria, who has combined his passion for healthcare and technology to educate the public about medication safety and health practices through social media. With a background in Medical Laboratory Technology and a Bachelor of Pharmacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Musa actively dispels medical myths, shares insights on drug interactions, and promotes rational drug use. His journey reflects a deep commitment to improving public health, driven by the belief that accurate health information can transform lives.
Name: Musa A. Bello
State of origin: Kaduna (Zaria)
Educational Background:
I did my primary at ABU Staff School (FSLC) and secondary at ABU Demonstration Sec. School (SSCE). I then proceeded to
Shehu Idris College of Health Science and Technology, Makarfi, where I became a Medical Laboratory Technician, I then went to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, for my Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy.
Marital Status: I’m married and blessed with two kids.
Could you tell us a bit about your journey into pharmacy and how your career evolved over the years?
Actually, from my earlier years, I am a person that is very inquisitive in nature, this led me to be in love with computers which was readily available then in our home but without internet, just basic software. My interest is in studying computer science because of the admiration I have for computers, but this suddenly changed when I came across an article on Encarta software regarding drug discovery (particularly antibiotics) The “Encarta encyclopedia” is a digital encyclopedia with lots of interesting things that anyone who used Desktop Computers from 2005 to 2007 knows.
This elicited an interest in drug discovery for me, and I read more about it and later discovered that a Pharmacy degree is all about drugs in healthcare. Being that I attended all my schoolings in Zaria, I wanted a change of environment, so I applied for Pharmacy at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto but wasn’t admitted into Pharmacy, I was given Veterinary Medicine which I declined and returned to Zaria where I applied to Shehu Idris College of Health Science and Technology, Makarfi (Kaduna State-owned school of health) and got admitted to study Medical Laboratory Technician. It was after graduating with MLT that I wrote JAMB again and applied to study for a Pharmacy degree at ABU Zaria, which I was admitted to more than a decade ago.
Over the years, I’ve worked in various settings from community pharmacies to hospital environments, and these experiences gave me insight into the crucial role of medication management in patient care.
What motivated you to start using social media as a platform to educate people about health and wellness?
I realized that many people had misunderstandings about medications and health practices, so also there are lots of people exploiting the desperation of patients to defraud them of their hard-earned money. I felt the need to create a platform where I could provide clear and reliable information. Social media offered the ideal space to close that gap and make accurate healthcare knowledge more accessible to everyone. Being that I have served as editor in chief of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students in ABU Zaria, participated in faculty debates and won, participated in essay writing competitions and won, including the CMO National Essay Writing Competition in 2018, I found expressing myself very easy either through writings or videos.
As a pharmacist, what unique perspective do you think you bring to the health conversations on social media?
As a pharmacist, I bring a unique understanding of medications, their interactions, side effects, adverse drug reactions, and proper usage, as well as bursting long-held myths regarding some medications and health conditions. This allows me to educate people not just on treatment but on the importance of rational drug use and safety, which is often overlooked in general health discussions.
How do you balance your professional responsibilities with your content creation activities?
It’s all about time management. I dedicate specific hours to my pharmacy duties, and I carve out time in my evenings or weekends for content creation. I also plan (schedule) my posts ahead to ensure consistency without compromising my professional responsibilities, which is why sometimes I can only respond to a few comments.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face in creating educational content online?
The biggest challenge is the deliberate distortion of my intended message by some individuals who feel that my online advocacy will threaten their business, also combating the vast amount of misinformation online as people dislike letting go of long-held beliefs. For instance, Ulcer has become a health menace affecting lots of people, and one of the leading causes is the irrational use of painkillers (some people use them every day to relieve stress) particularly Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs like diclofenac, ibuprofen, etc, I made a post about the consequences of irrational use of Diclofenac tablets, and someone commented that he has spent more than thirty years taking Flagyl (metronidazole) which is bitter in taste than the diclofenac I am cautioning about and nothing has happened to him, surprisingly some people replied to his comment that he is saying the truth, the most discouraging is that some of these people are supposedly educated. These kinds of instances sometimes lower my morale, but in the end, I will just think about the vast majority that are taking the information very seriously.
It takes time to create content that is both accurate and engaging, but it’s worth the effort to provide clarity. Additionally, people hide under the cloak of religion (Islamic Chemist) to disseminate information that goes contrary to established medical knowledge, pointing out. These kinds of fallacious claims have always elicited reactions from different people, with most seeing it as an attack on religious knowledge.
How do you decide on the topics you cover? Are they influenced by public health trends or questions you receive
Actually, most of my topics are based on the things I have come across either from the hospital or community pharmacy that I practice. Incidents that I have witnessed and questions from patients or their relatives, as well as popular comments from my posts on social media.
Could you share your experience with engaging your audience online? How do you handle misinformation or negative comments?
One of my biggest challenges is engaging with my audience as there are too many, and I have little time to respond; imagine responding to more than four hundred comments that need replies that may elicit further discussions.
With regards to negative comments, I handle them with professionalism—focusing on educating rather than arguing, at first I was very worried and concerned, then I gradually got to understand that some people are entirely the personification of negativity, so I developed a thick skin and become indifferent to such negative reactions, while sometimes I post a screenshot of some negative comments to further discussions on the need to be civil in disagreement.
Your recent post about mining caused a lot of backlash and led to some professional difficulties. Could you share what happened from your perspective?
A few days before that post, I made a post advising the people who are into mining to have jobs or businesses they are doing and not solely rely on mining. The post triggered reactions from many miners, which led to a lot of insults in the comment section; they insisted that mining is a job to them, and the insults got to the point where someone insulted a lecturer of mine who commented. I felt bad and deleted the post.
Then, two days later, I posted that I had quit my job to pursue mining as a career. To drive home my point of sarcasm, I attached a fictitious letter of resignation which contained a false address and name of a hospital that does not exist. In my own thinking, many people will comprehend the sarcasm intended. Unfortunately, bloggers carried the letter and a profile picture of mine in a labcoat with my name inscribed and peddled it around. I regret any confusion it caused and understand why some people reacted the way they did.
Do you think the nature of social media (where sarcasm and humor are sometimes misinterpreted) contributed to the controversy?
Absolutely; in fact, I got to realize that a lot of people take things literally have a poor sense of humor, lack comprehension of sarcasm, and are full of cynicism. I’ve learned to be clearer in my communication going forward.
How did the incident impact your professional and personal life? Did it affect your confidence in expressing yourself online?
The only sad thing about it is how some people close to me reacted, they felt worried and concerned that it could cost me my job or dent my professional integrity. I had to make a lot of explanations to dispel the erroneous assumptions.
As for my confidence in expressing myself online, this incident boosted it in a way because I have learned to be strictly professional and avoid preventable controversy while being resolute in affirming facts. So, it made me more conscious of how I communicate and motivated me to be even more careful with sensitive topics.
Were there any specific lessons you learned from this experience that changed the way you approach social media?
The biggest lesson I learned is to always double-check how my content might be interpreted by different audiences. I’ve also become more cautious with tone and language.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently to prevent the misunderstanding
Certainly, If I had attached screenshots of the previous post regarding the subject and not attached the fictitious letter, the incident wouldn’t have been this heated and sensitive. We live to learn every day.
How are you planning to rebuild trust with your audience and your professional community?
I have now tasked myself to strictly be attached to what I gained fame for – health advocacy and provision of vetted facts and health awareness.
Rebuilding trust is a priority for me. I’m committed to being more transparent and continuing to provide reliable, well-researched content. I’ll also engage more with my audience to show that I’m listening to their concerns.
What’s next for you in terms of content creation, professional work, and entrepreneurship?
I am in the process of setting up my personal studio, which I intend to use as an avenue for inviting professionals (Medical Doctors, Pharmacists, Lab Scientists, Nurses, and other healthcare workers) to create engaging and educating discussions that can help with accurate information dissemination and dispelling of misinformation.
As for professional work, I remain consistent in waking up every to go to work to exercise my professional duties. Regarding entrepreneurship, I have put all the measures in place to set up a unique community pharmacy that will be renowned for the sales of qualitative drugs and the provision of pharmaceutical care counseling. I am a techie who is into web and graphics design, which I passionately still do, and I even have a shop where I have people working for me.
As a writer and entrepreneur, how do you integrate your creative and business interests with your professional identity as a pharmacist?
My creative and entrepreneurial interests align well with my pharmacy background because they all revolve around helping people. Whether through writing, content creation, or pharmacy work, my goal is always to educate and support public health.
The best of mankind is he who benefits humanity; I want my professional knowledge to benefit society and myself as well (through earning).
Who or what inspires you the most in your work?
I’m inspired by the impact health education can have on people’s lives. I have received calls, messages, and comments about how a post of mine helped someone to do the right thing. Seeing individuals make informed decisions about their health because of the information I share motivates me every day.
How do you define success, especially in a profession that intersects with public service and personal passion?
For me, success means making a difference. If my work, whether online or in the pharmacy, helps people live healthier lives, then I consider that success. As Albert Einstein said, “Do not be a man of success, be a man of value”. Having that value that makes an impact is my definition of success.
What are your hobbies?
Reading and Watching Documentaries
What’s your best food?
Yam and anything made from or with yam
How do you unwind?
I do that by reading books, I have a personal library with lots of interesting books on my reading lists.
Thank you for squeezing time out of your busy schedules to answer our questions
Thank you for finding me worthy of an interview too.
