The Kwara State Government says it has placed all the healthcare centres on outbreak response mode, having confirmed four deaths as a result of food poison and one other death from stomach flu otherwise known as gastroenteritis.
Amina El-Imam, Commissioner for Health, who states this at a Press Conference held in Ilorin, the State Capital, explained that the family of four from Eruda Community gave up the ghost after they consumed Lafun-Amala (food made from cassava).
She said the entire health team of Kwara State Ministry of Health had visited the community and console the family that lost their loved ones.
“On getting there, the claim was that there was an instance of food poisoning where a 70 year old woman fell ill and died after consuming Amala.
“Unfortunately, her son and grandkids also consumed the same food, fell ill and died. They were taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, were they passed away,” she said.
El-Imam observed that the Amala made from Lafun might have been responsible for the death, adding that the people who consumed yam flour without Lafun were fine, just as he she noted that some of those who consumed the mixture of both Lafun (cassava) and Amala (yam flower) fell ill and eventually died.
The Commissioner submitted that several others were making good recovery in the hospitals where they were receiving treatment.
“Some are doing well and hopefully, following intensive medical treatment, they should be able to recover fully. It was observed that the residence was in a location where personal and environmental hygiene was not really optimal,” she said.
Read also: FG raises alarm on poisoned beef in Kwara cattle market
El-Imam stated that this is a case of chemical food poisoning, potentially due to under processed cassava used in the production of Lafun.
“We have another four cases recovering at the moment, in addition to the four that we unfortunately lost,” she lamented.
Similarly, the Commissioner stated that an Initial Rapid Diagnostic Test was conducted on the suspected case of Cholera, which turned out to be Gastroenteritis (stomach flu).
She explained that one death was recorded at Osin Gada, in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara Stats as a result of Gastroenteritis.
“The community had a few cases of stooling and vomiting, predominantly among children, of which, unfortunately, one life was lost.
“The vomiting and stooling drew the attention of the state’s disease reporting structure.
“On getting there, treatment was immediately commenced and all the affected patients have received immediate standard treatments to stop the symptoms, treat them and restore their health”, she explained.
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