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From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
No fewer than 24 persons have reportedly died after consuming a suspected poisonous herbal concoction in three communities in Odigbo Local Government,Ondo State.
Several others were said to be receiving treatment in various hospitals following the incident, which has prompted the Ondo State Government to launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
The fatalities were recorded in Araromi-Obu, Orita New Town and Odigbo communities.
The victims were reportedly said to have consumed a herbal substance, believed to be a locally prepared concoction, before developing complications and subsequently dying.
Confirming the incident, Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, said medical and health officials had commenced investigations to determine the actual cause of the deaths.
Ajaka, however, cautioned against prematurely attributing the deaths to a particular substance, saying it was too early to establish the exact cause without further medical assessment.
According to him, samples and other relevant evidence would need to be examined before the government could reach a definite conclusion on what caused the deaths.
He said the state government was treating the development with utmost seriousness and would make its findings public once investigations had established the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
“We’re right now in the field with officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control(NAFDAC), World Health Organisation (WHO) and other relevant agencies.
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“We want to conduct a thorough investigation to know the cause. From our preliminary report, it is allegedly an injection of alcoholic substances.
“I cannot give the exact figure of the deaths now. Some of the deaths were buried immediately. Some are in the mortuary, while some of the victims are still on admission in hospitals.
“The incident affected Odigbo and Araromi-Obu communities,” the commissioner said.
Ajaka cautioned against speculations, stressing that it would be premature to attribute the deaths to any particular substance until laboratory analyses and medical investigations were concluded.
Also confirming the incident, Chairman of Odigbo Local Government , Taiwo Adegoroye, said further details would be made available after medical experts had completed their assessment.
Adegoroye disclosed that the council had already taken precautionary measures to prevent further consumption of the suspected products.
He said the local government had restricted the sale and consumption of sachet herbal concoctions and similar drinks being hawked in the affected communities pending the outcome of the investigation.
The development has heightened concerns among residents over the safety of unregulated herbal preparations and other locally packaged substances, particularly products sold in sachets without adequate information on their contents or possible health risks.
Residents of the affected communities have meanwhile been advised to exercise caution and refrain from consuming suspicious herbal concoctions and other unverified sachet products until the state government concludes its investigation.
The government is expected to determine the nature of the substance consumed, the circumstances leading to the illnesses and deaths, as well as whether any regulatory or criminal action is required.
