A major disaster was averted Tuesday when the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Aisha Jumai Alhassan, slumped at the Internally Displaced Persons’ camp in Fufore Local Government Area of Adamawa State. But her aides and some camp officials quickly intervened and administered first aid to her.
Sources close to the minister said she may have suffered exhaustion as a result of low sugar. It was gathered that the minister had been on medication. She was said to have been given high-sugar fluid, a source actually told reporters that she was given Coke, to drink to regain her strength. The minister, who was on a two-day official visit to the state, slumped shortly after presenting relief materials to the IDPs.
Recall that the minister recently underwent surgery and had been recuperating. “She has been on medication and because of her sense of duty, she has committedly carried on with her duties. We did not anticipate this because it was obvious that she had fully recovered from the drain of the surgery”, a source said.
The minister had barely finished with the presentation of items when she slumped. Her aides quickly circled her. The women used their wrappers and handkerchiefs to fan her before reporters were ordered to leave the hall by her security aides.
A camp source told journalists that some bottles of Coca-Cola were given to the minister, which she reportedly drank “to increase her blood sugar level.”
She was subsequently driven out of the camp to a guest house where she effectively regained enough strength to continue with her duty.
She later returned to the hall to address the women at the camp.
