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Sokoto communities battle ‘snail fever’

Hausawa Maiwa village less than three kilometers from Dange town, headquarters of Dange Shuni Local Government Area of Sokoto State is one of the communities…

Hausawa Maiwa village less than three kilometers from Dange town, headquarters of Dange Shuni Local Government Area of Sokoto State is one of the communities in Sokoto with people affected by schistosomiasis also called Bilharzia, a disease caused by parasitic worms and spread by contact with infested water.

The authorities of the local government  revealed that over 50 people mostly children were suffering from Bilharzia in the area.

The disease which is categorized under Neglected Tropical Diseases, is also dubbed “snail fever” as the parasites are noted to be released from infested fresh water snail.

According to WHO Fact Sheet, symptoms of schistosomiasis are caused by the body’s reaction to the worms’ eggs. 

“Intestinal schistosomiasis can result in abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and blood in the stool. Liver enlargement is common in advanced cases. The classic sign of urogenital schistosomiasis is haematuria (blood in urine). Fibrosis of the bladder and ureter, and kidney damage are sometimes diagnosed in advanced cases. Bladder cancer is another possible complication in the later stages,” it said-

Eleven-year old Kabiru Shehu of Hausawa Maiwa village said he has been suffering from the disease for a year now.

The primary two pupil said though he took the drugs given to some of them in school a while ago, the problem had not stopped.

“My parents once took me to a hospital in Dange town and I was given injection twice, yet it is still the same, it refused to heal and the worst experience is when the blood is dripping; it stains my clothes, and pain always accompany the last drop of my urine,” he said.

He added gloomily: “My parents no longer take me to the hospital they just abandoned my case.”

Shamsudden Umar, 13 was taken to Dange Hospital where he received three injections and several doses of drugs but he said the condition still comes on and off. “The most traumatic aspect of the disease is when I feel something like a lump inside me any time I urinate,” he stated.

However, he said he is looking forward to the intervention drugs recently announced by the state Neglected Tropical Diseases Control Programme.

Hashimu Ibrahim, 35, said that some months ago, he discovered that drops of blood come out any time he passed urine, and that it was also always painful whenever the last drop comes out.

He said: “I consulted some medical personnel at Dange Hospital who prescribed drugs for me and also gave me injections. I discovered that the problem has subsided and there had been relief since then.”

 But Abubakar Musa a 12-year-old boy who said he suffers from similar condition, however stated: “We were given some drugs in school but my parents said I should not take them, so  I threw them away.”

 The spokesman of Hausawa Maiwa community, Abdullahi Alhaji called on government to hasten the provision of drugs under the intervention programme so that those affected can get relief and lead a normal life.

Focal Officer, Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme in Dange Shuni Local Government Area, Alhaji Mode Tasha said the state ministry of health had made adequate provision for Bilharzia drugs and that the distribution has commenced in the state.

He noted that almost all wards in the area have people suffering from Bilharzia.

The Focal Officer said they carried out test on some school children at Dange, Kadabale, Dabagi and Shuni areas of the local government which proved the presence of the disease in the communities.

Tasha said the intervention programme was provided through the support of Sight Savers International, adding that the drugs were being distributed to the 88 primary schools across the local government area.

 “Any person from 5-100 years can be given the drugs but there are certain categories of people who are exempted from taking it, such as pregnant women, nursing mothers, under five and sick persons,” he stated.

“The intervention programme is an annual exercise and the current one commenced on 6th July,” he disclosed.

He called on parents to allow their affected children take the drugs, and to stop them from using, swimming and  bathing in stagnant water. He said infected children should eat before taking the drugs.

 The state Focal Officer of the programme, Malam Muhammad Ladan listed local government areas to benefit from the intervention as Tambuwal, Isa Dange-Shuni, Rabah, Gwadabawa , Sokoto North, Sokoto South and Gada.

He urged people to visit any medical centre in these councils to collect the drugs or get medical support from experts.

 

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