By: Joy Odor/Kaduna
The Kaduna State Commissioner of Education, Alhaji Jafaru Sani has confirmed the suspected outbreak of cholera in the State where 55 students of Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Kawo have been infected with according to him,the disease.
The Commissioner who made the confirmation to newsmen at the scene of the incident affirmed that out of the number, 40 have been admitted at General Hospital Kawo while fifteen have been discharged and taken back to their various homes for further treatments.
According to him, team of medical personnel from the ministry has inspected the school and isolate those that have been infected and possibly do some remedial intervention before taken them to hospitals for further investigation.
Explaining what led to the outbreak, Alhaji Sani said “during the weekend, because of the power failure in the area, some of the boreholes are mal-functional which led some of the students to use the alternative well in the school which might have been contaminated.
“We received the report early this morning of the suspected outbreak of cholera and the Kaduna North Ministry of Health prompted the Commission of Health and Human Services who swiftly responded with a team of medical personnel to come and inspect the school and isolate those that have been affected and possibly do some remedial intervention before taken them to hospitals for further investigation.
“As it is now, I was told that about 55 students were affected and now 40 have been admitted at general hospital Kawo and fifteen have been discharged and taken back to their various homes for further treatments.
The Commissioner assured the parents that there is no cause for alarm as the state government is doing all in their hands to ensure it on top of the situation.
Lamenting, a parent, Mallam Yakub Ibrahim who spoke to newsmen at about 3:57 PM said “my orphan daughter is among the students affected and since been taken to the Hospital.
Mallam Ibrahim who could not disclose the name of his infected daughter confirmed that as he speaks attentions were given to the affected students.
According to him, “Students were educated on the preventive measures as many were conveyed to Kawo General Hospital to ascertain their health status.
Meanwhile, the officials of the Nigerian Red Cross and other officials were also sighted at the school premises, supporting the evacuation of affected students to the hospital and also fumigating the school environment for safety.
They urged the Kaduna State Government to take urgent steps at halting the situation not to go out of hands.
