…As Six Children from same Family die of food poisoning
Presiding Bishop Faith-Hill prophetic Assembly Abuja Archbishop Professor Emmanuel Musa Jatau has called for the decentralization of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control NCDC to all the 774 Local government Areas of the Country to address Critical Health Challenges that might results to the death of Nigerians especially at the rural Community.
This followed the death of Six Children from the same Family in Gidinye Community of Obi Local government Area of Nasarawa State suspected to be through Food Poisoning.
Reacting to the sad development of the death of the six children,a prominent Son of Gidinye Community Community who is also the Presiding Bishop Faith-Hill prophetic Assembly Abuja, Archbishop Professor Emmanuel Musa Jatau appealed to the state government through the Ministry of Health to deploy necessary mercenaries to the affected area to ascertain the cause of the death.
According to the family source, the Sixt Children from Mr Ezekiel’s Family namely: Lydia Isah Ezekiel aged 22, Saraya Kpana Ezekiel aged 15, Godiya Kawoh Ezekiel 6, Unity Patrick Baba aged 7, Ramatu Baba aged 5 and Rejoice Friday aged 6 died within interval of hours after eating suspected food made of Moringa and sorrel known as Yakuwa leaves mixed with groundnut pest in their Keana Farm.
Archbishop Professor Emmanuel Musa Jatau said I am advocating the decentralization of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control NCDC to all local government areas of the country with a view to addressing such ugly situations in real time and used the opportunity to identify with the Immediate family and the community over the loss
Bishop Jatau advocated adequate equipment of the primary Health Centres across the state as well advised citizens to take caution on the kind and quality of food and water they consume as there is no substitute for life.
At this point we must take responsibility by ensuring that our water container is clean and the food we consume must be cooked under hygienic atmosphere knowing well that we have the responsibility of reporting suspected cases of outbreaks to relevant health authority with a view to tackling challenges of this magnitude in real time
A visit to the family Compound at Gidinye,elder sister to Late Lydia aged 22 Mary Ezekiel explained that on sunday evening about Ten of her family members eat popular leave called Yakwa leave (Sorrel) and Moringa mixed with pounded groundnut pest, Onions and peppers which resulted to diarrhea on Monday morning on her sister and when she went for a program unknown to her others were also down.
They were taken to the hospital and they reported that they took poison and were treated for food poisoning to neutralize it, shortly two died aside the one gone while others were taken to specialist hospital yet couldn’t survived despite treatment. This is the first time we are experiencing this because out of the Ten that eat the food six died remaining four which doctors confirmed that they are healthy
Father of the deceased Children Ezekiel Nmodu Agidi described the death of his children as unforgettable and sad situation saying his situation was like the Biblical Job who lost his children same day.
My wife called me from farm in Keana telling that my children are sick and upon bringing them from farm, six died within hours in a situation I cannot explain because even the eldest child who was supposed to tell what exactly happened is also died
He said the health personnel from the primary health care have come to take urine and Stool samples and they are yet to know exactly what has happen to them.
He however said he is suspecting food poisoning and appealed to government to help him investigate the root cause of death of his children and to also avoid future occurrence.
Also speaking to press on the sudden death of the children, in-charge of Agyaragu Comprehensive Centre Maryamu Sunday said all of them had similar complaints because they told us they eat Sorrel (Yakwa) and Moringa (Jogole) and started having stomach ache stressing that no amount of first aid given to them could subside the pains so we had no option than to refer them Specialist Hospital Lafia.
My advice here is that, whenever we are preparing our food, we should do it hygienically instead of the open air, even if it is fruit, we should wash it with salt, we should learn to wash our hands before and after eating our food
She said for now she cannot ascertain the cause of the deaths but she is suspecting food poisoning because all of them that eat the food and couldn’t vomit or spit it out all died.
For now, all eyes is on the out come from specialist Hospital to ascertain the cause of the death of the six children from same maternal family.
