Gastroenteritis claims 41 in Gombe

From ABUBAKAR M ABBA, Gombe
Posted: Monday, September 6, 2010

NO fewer than 41 deaths were recorded in Gombe State with 694 others admitted for gastroenteritis in different hospitals over the last few weeks. Confirming the report of the disease to newsmen, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Muhammed Isa Umar said that it occurred in eight local governments areas namely Akko, Balanga, Billiri, Gombe, Kaltungo, Kwami, Shongom and Yamaltu/Deba.
He called on the public to promptly report outbreak of the disease in their vicinity to the Disease and Surveillance Notification officers in each local government for immediate necessary action.
The commissioner however assured that officials of the state Ministry of Health and the local governments were intensifying efforts to contain the outbreak, even as he decried lack of assistance from the Federal Government so far.
Among the measures taken by the state government to control the disease are free administration of drugs to infected people, as well as educating, especially the affected communities and schools on the mode and transmission of the disease.
According to him, this is with the intention of keeping the disease in check as well as to ensure that the death toll does not increase in other areas.
The commissioner stated further that the immediate administration of drugs on victims and the use of chemicals to treat contaminated water sources which were usually the cause of gastroentritis have also been embarked upon to manage the spread.
He called on residents not to be unnecessarily panicky in order to avoid any likely unpleasant consequences as government is committed to ensuring that the situation is under control.