Diarrhoea Outbreak Hits Kaduna School, 81 Students Affected
The Kaduna State Ministry of Health has confirmed a diarrhoea outbreak at Government Girls Senior and Junior Secondary School, Kawo, which affected 81 students. Of those affected, 15 were hospitalised and later discharged after receiving treatment at the General Hospital, Kawo.
The incident was investigated by the Kaduna State Rapid Response Team, led by the State Epidemiologist, Dr. Jeremiah Diako. According to Dr. Diako, the affected students were between the ages of 16 and 17.
He reported that all students were promptly transferred to a secondary health facility, where they received appropriate care and have since fully recovered.
In the wake of the outbreak, the Ministry of Health outlined several preventive measures to avoid future occurrences.
These include strengthening disease reporting mechanisms, establishing school-based surveillance systems, standardising case referral procedures, offering training on food safety and waste management, and improving local outbreak preparedness.
The Ministry stressed the urgent need to implement these actions to protect students’ health and prevent similar incidents in the future.
This outbreak not only highlights gaps in school hygiene but also raises serious concerns about the violation of children’s rights to good hygiene and a safe learning environment
Schools must be environments where children’s well-being is safeguarded, not compromised. This incident is a reminder of the need for stronger health systems in schools to ensure that children can learn safely.
