Katsina School Drug Scare: 154 Students Hospitalised After Taking Bilharzia Medication

No fewer than 154 students of Government Science Secondary School, Batagarawa, Katsina State, were taken to hospital after reportedly experiencing adverse reactions to praziquantel tablets administered to treat bilharzia.

The incident happened on Monday, while details were made public on Wednesday in a statement by the Katsina State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu.

Aliyu explained that the students developed symptoms suspected to be linked to the medication after it was administered by the school authorities.

Praziquantel is commonly used to treat schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, a parasitic disease associated with exposure to freshwater contaminated by the parasites.

According to the police spokesman, the affected students received medical attention, with no casualties or deaths reported.

He also confirmed that the remaining 25 students who had been retained in hospital for further medical care had been treated and discharged.

Aliyu said all the affected students were in good health and had returned to their families and schoolmates.

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Ali Umar Fage, thanked members of the public for remaining calm and cooperating with the authorities.

Fage cautioned residents against circulating unverified reports and rumours about the incident, assuring them that the command remained committed to protecting lives and property throughout Katsina State.

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