November 8, 2017

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday directed the Minister of Heath, Prof. Isaac Adewole, to investigate reports of an ‘unknown disease’ that has led to the death of several children in Jigawa.

Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, in a statement issued in Abuja, said Buhari also directed the minister to deploy all the necessary machinery to combat the outbreak of the disease.

The outbreak of the deadly disease was reported in Gidan Dugus village of Wangara district, Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa.

President Buhari, in a telephone call to Gov. Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa, on Tuesday evening, to find out the details of the incident, commiserated with the governor and the families of the victims.

He assured the governor that the Federal Government will provide the necessary support to contain the spread of the disease.

Media reports, on Nov. 7, had indicated that a strange illness had taken the lives of over 55 children, while 35 others were hospitalized at Gidan Dugus village of Wangara district, Dutse local government area of Jigawa.

The reports revealed that, “the children under the age of five, are dying on daily basis as a result of high fever, stomach upset, vomiting, diarrhoea and shortage of blood.”