One of the most important and difficult part of preventive care is to educate your people in the sensible and limited use of medicines. Some modern medicines are very important and can save lives. But no medicine is needed for most sicknesses. The body itself can usually fight off sickness with rest, good food and perhaps some simple home remedies.
People, however, may come to you for medicine when they do not need any. You may be tempted to give them some medicine just to please them. But if you do and they get well, they will think that you and the medicine cured them. In fact their bodies cured themselves.
So, instead of teaching people to depend on medicines they don't need, take time to explain why they should not use them. You can also tell the person what he can do himself to get over his sickness.
This way, you are helping the person to rely on a local resource "himself ", rather than on an outside resource "medicine". In addition to this, you are protecting the person, for there is no medicine that doesn't have some risk in its use.
