Nigeria investigates drug administration after 64 students fall ill

Authorities in Nigeria’s north-western Katsina State have launched an investigation after dozens of secondary school students were hospitalised following the administration of medication during a bilharzia prevention exercise.

At least 64 students from Government Science Secondary School in Batagarawa were taken to hospital after developing symptoms including vomiting, abdominal pain and dizziness.

Some students were reportedly unconscious when they arrived at medical facilities.

The incident occurred during a drug administration exercise intended to prevent schistosomiasis, commonly known as bilharzia, a parasitic disease that affects millions of people worldwide.

Dr. Auwal Sani, medical director of Ahmadi Rimi General Hospital, confirmed that the facility received affected students and that medical personnel provided emergency treatment.

He said the students had stabilised following treatment.

The students were reportedly taken to several medical facilities, including Ahmadi Rimi General Hospital and Turai Yar’Adua Maternal and Child Hospital.

Katsina State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education Yusuf Sulaiman Jibia confirmed the incident and said arrangements were being made for the students to return to school after their recovery.

He added that food was being provided before their return.

Authorities have pledged to investigate the circumstances surrounding the administration of the medication and establish what caused the students’ reactions.

Accounts from students have raised questions about how the tablets were distributed and whether the exercise followed appropriate procedures.

According to reports by Katsina Times, students said their heights were measured before they received different quantities of tablets.

Some reportedly received one tablet, while others were given two or three.

One student, Abubakar Muhammad Khairi, alleged that students who refused to take the medication were threatened with physical punishment.

Another student, Hassan Muhammad, said the person distributing the tablets was unfamiliar to them and was not a teacher at the school.

These allegations have not been independently verified, and the precise circumstances surrounding the drug administration remain under investigation.

The exact medication administered and whether the dosage contributed to the students’ symptoms have not been conclusively established in the reports available.

World Health Organization (WHO), schistosomiasis is caused by parasitic worms and is transmitted when people come into contact with freshwater contaminated by the parasites.

The disease can cause serious health complications if left untreated.

WHO recommends praziquantel as the treatment for schistosomiasis and supports preventive treatment programmes targeting populations at risk in affected areas.

However, the medication administered to the students in Batagarawa has not been conclusively identified in the reports reviewed.

The investigation is expected to clarify how the medication was sourced, who authorised its distribution and whether the exercise complied with appropriate health and safety procedures.