By: Adelowo Oladipo, Minna
The Niger State Ministry of Information and Orientation wishes to inform the general public that the Ministry of Health has commenced a comprehensive investigation into a suspected infectious disease following reports circulated on social media concerning an illness that reportedly claimed the life of a child and affected other members of the same family.
The Director, Information Services State Ministry of Information and Orientation, Yinusa Ibrahim Saidu stated this in a Press statement issued and made available to Journalists on Saturday in Minna
Also,the Director of Public Health, Dr. Ibrahim Idris, disclosed this during an assessment visit to the affected family, stating that the Ministry swiftly responded after a concerned father posted videos alleging that a strange illness had struck his household.
Dr. Idris said the immediate intervention reflects the commitment of the Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago-led administration to safeguarding the health and wellbeing of all Nigerlites, stressing that every unexplained death warrants thorough investigation and every suspected outbreak must be treated with utmost urgency.
He explained that the affected children had been evacuated to a health facility for comprehensive medical evaluation and treatment.
According to him, preliminary clinical findings suggest that the illness may not be a strange disease but rather one familiar to medical experts, with diphtheria among the conditions being considered.
“At this stage, no definitive conclusion can be made until laboratory investigations are completed” he said. He added that “the samples collected will help determine the exact cause of the illness and guide the response” ,he further stated.
Moreover, Public health officials have commenced contact tracing in the affected community and schools attended by the children to identify anyone with similar symptoms and contain any possible transmission.
Parents and caregivers are strongly advised to ensure that their children complete all recommended routine immunisation schedules, as many life-threatening illnesses can be prevented through vaccination. Residents are also urged to seek prompt medical attention whenever unusual symptoms are observed.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency (NSPHCDA), Dr. Junaidu Inuwa, revealed that preliminary findings indicated that the deceased child had received only partial immunisation, while some of the surviving children were either partially immunised or had not completed their vaccination schedules.
Dr. Inuwa said this development underscores the critical importance of routine immunisation in protecting children against vaccine-preventable diseases and reducing childhood mortality.
He assured residents that health authorities would continue to provide timely updates as investigations progress and called on the public to remain calm and cooperate with health officials.
The health team also visited the Isolation Centre at the General Hospital, where the Executive Director of the Hospital Management Board assured that all affected family members have been placed on appropriate antibiotic treatment and are receiving the necessary medical care.
Health authorities further stated that should the illness be confirmed as an infectious disease, surveillance activities would be intensified, extensive contact tracing expanded, and all necessary public health interventions implemented to prevent further spread.
The Niger State Government reiterates that complete immunisation remains the most effective and safest protection against vaccine-preventable diseases and urges all parents to take advantage of available immunisation services at health facilities across the state.
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