Godwin Akor, Makurdi
The last word about the strange disease that started killing members of Oye community in Obi local government area of Benue state may not have been heard as the disease said to have been caused by intake of polluted water has so far killed 32 persons.
Chairman of Obi local government, Mr. Joe Ipenyi, told newsmen at the weekend that in January this year, 27 persons died while five died in February.
Ipenyi expressed the fear that more deaths may be recorded if urgent steps are not taken to provide alternative source of water for the people, adding that over 400 persons were still on admission in various hospitals
Ipenyi who could not say if the disease has been diagnosed, disclosed that with the drinking of the same bad water by the people of Oju local government area, epidemic may break out in the two local government areas.
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He appealed to the Benue state/Federal governments to urgently provide the people with boreholes, pointing out that Oye river was allegedly polluted with chemicals by fishermen.
Ipenyi said apart from good water, the people also need good roads for moving sick persons to the hospitals.
He said the state’s commissioner for health. Mr. Sunday Ongbabo and some federal officers from the disease control centre had visited the area to assess the situation and that some specimens were taken for examination but results were yet to be released.
The council chairman said the people have been instructed to stop using water from Oye river but expressed the fear that the situation may worsen if government does not move fast.
He appealed to well meaning individuals and organisations to come to the aid of the people.
It would be recalled that earlier in the year, Senator Abba Moro had, on the floor of the Senate, asked the Federal Government to intervene in the ugly situation of the outbreak of a strange disease in Obi local where over 15 persons had died.
Recently, at an interaction with the constituents in Otukpo, Moro said the disease was not Coronavirus but promised to keep them posted on the matter.