Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said preliminary findings on the recent mysterious deaths reported in Sokoto State may have been caused by heavy metal poisoning.
Director General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, who stated this during the inauguration of the National Genomics Surveillance Strategy Consortium in Abuja said an investigation was still in progress.
He said: “Our findings indicate a clear presence of heavy metal poisoning in the affected individuals. We sent the blood samples to different laboratories and what we discovered so far are evidence of heavy metal poisoning in those two states. The fact is that more children would have been affected in Sokoto and Kebbi. We know it is heavy metal poisoning, but we are still investigating because it could be a combination of other things.”
He spoke just as the African Youth Growth Foundation (AYGF), yesterday, condemned the outbreak of heavy metal poisoning in the Gaidan community of Sokoto State.
The Foundation identified critical infrastructure deficiencies as contributing to the health crisis, including lack of reliable clean water, widespread open defecation, and absence of electricity.
The Executive Director of AYGF, Dr Arome Salifu, in a statement, called on the Federal Government to take urgent national action to address the challenges, increase access to healthcare services, and provide help to the victims.
Recall that 10 years ago, there was a major public outcry and concerns raised about the prevalence of lead poison in some communities of Zamfara State, especially with far-reaching consequences to the lives of many rural dwellers.
Salifu said: “Ten years after, independent research recently embarked upon by AYGF shows the prevalence in Sokoto State and spreading like a wild bushfire. During an outreach in the Gaidan settlement in the Gidan Katta Ward of Illela local government of Sokoto State, heavy metal poisoning was discovered.
“This outreach extended to community leaders, educational institutions, and the local health facility, aiming to understand and mitigate the impact of the poisoning. The Gaidan community, primarily composed of farmers and a few business-oriented individuals, warmly welcomed the AYGF team.”
Reacting to the challenges, community Head, Mr Gaidau Hayatu, said that the issue began approximately four months ago, with children developing symptoms such as fever, abdominal swelling, vomiting, and headaches.
Also speaking, the District head of Sabon Gari Gaidan, Mamman Musa, highlighted the severe impact of the poisoning, noting the significant loss of life, including children and adults.
