Improving MAN 3 Mandailing Natal Students Understanding of the Use, Storage, and Management of Veterinary Drug Waste through Educational Seminar and Demonstration Activities

Abstract

The use of veterinary drugs is increasing, but many animal owners do not have an adequate understanding of the proper use and storage of drugs. This is an important concern because the correct use and storage of drugs greatly affects the achievement of the desired therapeutic effect. Proper storage of drugs is essential to maintain the quality of the drugs, thus avoiding physical damage or chemical changes that can reduce their effectiveness or even endanger animal health. Medicines that are no longer in use, either due to physical damage or because they have passed the expiration date, must be disposed of immediately with the correct procedure. Improper management of drug waste has the potential to cause negative impacts on the environment, such as pollution of water, soil and surrounding ecosystems. Medicines that are no longer in use have the potential to re-circulate in the community, which can lead to the risk of poisoning or even death if consumed inappropriately. Improper disposal of drugs can pollute the environment and can be consumed by animals looking for food in the disposal area, resulting in fatal consequences. To provide additional knowledge on how to use, store and dispose of veterinary drugs. The method of providing material was through educational seminars and demonstrations. From this community service activity, researchers managed to collect data related to increasing the knowledge and understanding of MAN 3 Mandailing Natal student participants regarding how to treat veterinary drugs, starting from the method of administering drugs orally to pets, criteria for drugs that can still be stored, proper drug storage procedures, the right time to dispose of drugs, to the correct way to dispose of drugs. This finding shows that education through seminars and hands-on demonstrations that we conducted in our community service activities were able to influence respondents' knowledge in the correct use, storage, and disposal of veterinary drugs.