Rising health concerns have engulfed the Coastal region after reports emerged that youth aged 23 years and below are increasingly hitting chemists for Viagra.
A report by KTN News on Saturday, November 28, indicated that young men and women are increasingly taking the pill with renewed gusto, with Chemists registering high sales between Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The report also indicated that some of the regular clients are women, although it was not clear if they were using the drugs themselves.
"Our sales spike from Wednesday till Saturdays. Some of the clients are tourists, who buy them here cheaply and resell in their countries. Many others get them for use here in Kenya.
"Women from Nairobi buy the most Viagra, although averagely, men make most buys, especially in the areas of Diani," stated a chemist attendant identified as Doreen.
A single pill of the drug is estimated to retail for between Ksh100 and Ksh1,000 in the chemists and pharmacists depending on the type.
Psychiatrist Dr Edwin Muinga, however, blamed the recent surge to internet use as well as change of lifestyle.
The doctor warned that the users require to have no underlying conditions and should only use the drug from a prescription.
"They must not have any health conditions especially heart, kidneys, brain and high blood sugar," he added.
The report came barely days after Kenya Film and Classification Board (KFCB) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) opened investigations into increased cases of bestiality at the Coast.
KFCB Executive Director Ezekiel Mutua claimed that some of the tourists had sneaked in with the intentions of recording local youth having sex with animals.
“The board is investigating alleged cases of bestiality in the Coast region, where some unscrupulous people are taking advantage of the poor condition among the youth to involve them on recording pornographic materials,” stated Mutua.
Effects of Viagra
According to Healthline, Viagra is a powerful drug that increases blood flow to the penis to ensure a sustained an erection. It can, however, according to health experts, have side effects if not used under prescription from a qualified doctor.
Some of the common side effects include headache, flushing, upset stomach, abnormal vision, such as changes in color vision (such as having a blue color tinge) and blurred vision.
Others include stuffy or runny nose, back pain, muscle pain, nausea, dizziness and rashes.
Patients who take any medicines called nitrates, often prescribed for chest pain are discouraged from partaking the drug.
Other effects include sudden loss of vision on one or both eyes as well as decreased hearing.
