At least 64 students of Government Science Secondary School, Batagarawa, in Katsina State, are receiving emergency medical care following severe adverse reactions to a mass Bilharzia treatment and prevention exercise. The incident ignited panic across the community after multiple victims collapsed.
Medical personnel quickly evacuated the affected students to Ahmadi Rimi General Hospital and the Turai Yar’Adua Maternal and Child Hospital in Katsina. Doctors at the facilities confirmed the victims suffered severe vomiting, stomach cramps, and sudden dizziness.
The Medical Director of Ahmadi Rimi General Hospital, Dr Auwal Sani, acknowledged the critical condition of some arrivals but revealed to the public that they are now responding positively to treatment. He claimed medical personnel measured the heights of the students prior to the exercise to determine the appropriate drug dosage.
Two of the victims, Abubakar Muhammad and Hassan Muhammad, revealed that the tablet distribution varied strictly by height, with students receiving between one and three pills.
In a telephone interview, Katsina State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Yusuf Sulaiman Jibia, confirmed that the drug administration was a joint operation between the Primary Health Care Authorities and Batagarawa Local Government Area, noting that the affected students have fully recovered, were fed by the state, and are preparing to return to school.
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