Six family members have tragically died after consuming cassava flour suspected to be contaminated in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The incident occurred in a household in Anyioke, Okunchi Ward last week.
Eight victims were initially rushed to three different hospitals, but six of them succumbed to multiple organ failure. The two surviving victims received necessary treatment and have since been discharged.
The Kogi State Ministry of Health has launched an investigation into the incident. A statement issued by the Ministry’s Information Officer, Dorothy Onoja, on Tuesday, August 6, confirmed the contamination of the cassava flour consumed by the family.
“After consuming the contaminated cassava flour, eight victims were rushed to three different hospitals, where unfortunately, six of them succumbed to multiple organ failure. The two surviving victims received necessary treatment and have since been discharged,” the statement read.
State Commissioner for Health, Hon. AbdulAzzez Adams Adeiza, personally visited the survivors before their discharge. According to Onoja, a specialized team consisting of state and WHO officials, including the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer (DSNO), WHO officers, and local health officials, has been deployed to investigate the outbreak.
“Samples of the cassava flour have been collected for toxicological analysis in collaboration with the state Ministry of Agriculture,” the statement added.
The Kogi state government has taken responsibility for the medical bills of the victims and will release the final report of the toxicology to the public.
The government also expressed its gratitude to healthcare workers for their dedication and efforts in saving the lives of the two surviving victims.
“A thorough case investigation was conducted, which involved engaging with community leaders and neighbors, assessing environmental sanitation conditions, and evaluating the water source,” the statement concluded.
