Four children of Alhaji Lawal Buhari, a former chairman of Jega Local Government Area of Kebbi State have died as a result of a disease suspected to be Haemorrhagic fever.
Buhari disclosed this while speaking to newsmen, explaining that the four children, between the ages of seven and 15, died within three days when the fever attacked them.
According to him, three of his children got infected from one of them who died earlier from the infection. He said he rushed the three to the Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, where they died.
Confirming the deaths, the Chief Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre, Dr. Abdullahi Ibrahim said it was suspected to be Haemorrhagic fever and not Lassa fever as some people thought.
He said the symptoms of the disease include high fever, rashes on the body and weakness.
Dr. Aisha Adamu, head, clinical service at the Federal Medical Centre, who had been attending to the affected children, said tests had been carried out and sent to the World Health Organisation, WHO, representatives, adding that health workers had also been mobilised for further tests and preventive measures, especially in Jega town.
Dr. Aisha said samples of the tests had also been forwarded to a qualified medical facility in Irrua, Edo State, for more tests, but the results were yet to be released.
Reacting, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Sani Ka’oje said: “We will get the final result before making conclusions.”
Ka’oje therefore advised the authorities in Jega Local Government Area to improve on environmental sanitation, adding, “as soon as we are done on this issue, we will liaise with the local government council to improve on the environmental sanitation in the area.”
