A diarrhoea outbreak at Government Girls Senior and Junior Secondary School in Kawo, Kaduna State, has left 81 students affected, the state’s Ministry of Health confirmed on Friday. 15 of those impacted were initially hospitalised.
Health officials said the outbreak was swiftly addressed after it was reported, with affected students receiving immediate medical attention.
The investigation was led by Dr. Jeremiah Diako, the State Epidemiologist, who disclosed that the students were between 16 and 17 years old. “The students were promptly moved to General Hospital, Kawo, for treatment,” he noted.
All 15 hospitalised students have since been discharged following successful treatment.
In light of the outbreak, the Ministry of Health has issued a set of urgent recommendations to schools and local health authorities. These include the development of robust disease surveillance systems within schools, better reporting protocols, and clear case referral pathways to ensure timely response in the future.
Other preventive strategies involve training staff on food safety and waste management and enhancing community readiness for local outbreaks.
The ministry stressed that implementing these actions is crucial to safeguarding students’ well-being and preventing future public health crises.
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