30 feared dead, many hospitalised as strange disease hits Jigawa community

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

By Justice Nwafor

Not less than 30 people have died and many critically hospitalised in Majia town, Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa owing to a yet to be known disease which hit the town.

According to  Investigations, the patients suddenly developed severe headache and body pains before losing consciousness.

A visit to the town which is about 90 kilometres from Dutse, the state capital, showed  relatives of the victims  mourning their dead, while those whose family members have been affected are living in fear.

One of the parents, who lost four children to the strange illness, Musa Kallamu, said: “Within 24 hours, I lost two male and two female children. The children—aged between 16 and 20 years— died one after the other.”

Another parent, Kamai Ali Majia, whose two children affected by the disease are currently receiving treatment at Taura General Hospital, faulted the call by their representative in the state House of Assembly that asked them to travel 30 kilometres to access medical facility, when he knew they do not have the means.

It was observed that the multi-million Naira Majia Health Clinic’s lack of adequate manpower and dearth of drugs have crippled effective health care delivery, which has compelled Majia community to travel far for medical attention.