The Nasarawa State Government has dispatched health workers to the Gidinye community in Obi Local Government Area following the tragic deaths of five children within a 24-hour period.
Gidinye, situated in the Jenkwe Development Area, is home to thousands of residents, including numerous children.
According to The PUNCH, the children, aged between five and 15, began experiencing symptoms of stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea on Monday and Tuesday before their deaths.
The State Epidemiologist, Dr. Grace Tsakpa, confirmed the situation in Lafia on Wednesday, revealing that health workers have been sent to the community to collect samples from surviving family members.
Tsakpa suggested that food poisoning might be the cause of the deaths, as the symptoms emerged shortly after the children had eaten a meal prepared on the farm.
She explained, “For now, we have taken samples from the other family members, but our suspicion is going towards food poisoning. This is because the incident happened after they ate food at the farm.”
The children, who belonged to two brothers, fell ill after a family meal on the farm, leading to one child’s death followed by the deaths of the remaining four, who developed similar symptoms.
Tsakpa expressed her condolences and promised that her team would thoroughly investigate the cause of the deaths.
Publicity Secretary of the Migili Youth Association, Samuel Akala, reported that the children had gone to their farm near Keana Local Government Area with their parents when they fell ill.
He urged the Nasarawa State Government and relevant authorities to address the situation urgently to prevent further tragedies.
“The children left home for the farm. While on the farm, one of them started complaining of stomach ache and started vomiting and purging at the same time. Within a short time, he began to have difficulty with his breathing, and when he was rushed home, he died. The other children had similar symptoms and died,” Akala said.
He also called for forensic investigation and suggested that the Centre for Disease Control and the Primary Healthcare Development Agency should be involved in disease surveillance in the affected communities, especially those around Obi and Keana LGAs, where similar cases have been reported.
Akala emphasized the need for a swift resolution to prevent the spread of this unknown illness.
