JIGAWA: Strange disease claims lives of 50 kids

Residents and parents living in the Gidan Dugus in Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa State have been left in confusion after a strange disease claimed the lives no less than 50 kids in the village.

According to Malam Bashari Galadima Gidan Gudu, the village head of the commuinity which is 35 kilometres from Jigawa State capital Dutse, “the problem started about two months ago, but the situation got worse in the last few weeks”.

The village head who said the kids were treated at Wangara Health Clinic and some referred to Dutse General Hospital and to Kano, recounted how the disease affected the kids.

He said; “The children will start with serious fever, than develop stomach swelling and within a little time they will give up.

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“There are families that lost seven, four and three children to the disease and at a time, we buried between four and two kids daily during the worse period.”

Confirming the development, Alhaji Ali Dandidi, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary said: “ We learnt the problem started sometime in July. The community members refused to go to the public health centre. They relied on and patronised chemists and other medical vendors all the while.

“Nobody reported to the ministry (of health) until on October 27. The ministry sent a medical team there. The team took samples of the patients to the laboratory and we controlled the situation within a few days.”

Dandidi added that; “After laboratory tests of the samples, it was confirmed as malaria and typhoid. We supplied the drugs for treatment and the situation was brought under control.”

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