By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri
Three children have  been confirmed dead at the Bulabulin Ngaranam Medical Clinic and several others  hospitalized after some parents allegedly induced their children with water drawn from gutters and concoctions and they developed fever and diarrhea before they were taken to clinic for treatment and to be given Plumpy nuts and other gifts donated by UNICEF and other agencies.

Children affected by poverty

“Nearly all medicines may cause diarrhea.  However, some of these parents resort to either drawing water from gutters, mixed it with concoctions and forcefully injected into the mouth of their children, which eventually caused the muscles of the intestines to contract, leading to severe diarrhea for the sake of recieving food items and later sale them”, a source told Sunday Vanguard.

To this end, the number of patients mostly women and children reporting to the clinic increased, last week, from 300 to over 700 on daily basis.

Reacting, yesterday, the Officer in Charge of Ngaranam Medical Clinic in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, MMC, Sister Maryam Baba Gaidam and the Village Head of the Area, Lawan Mala Modu, Aliye expressed dismay over the increasing cases of diarrhea among children in the clinic.

Both lamented when delegations from National Primary HeathCare Development Agency, NPHCDA, led by Hajiya Jamila Hamanga, Borno State Primary HealthCare Development Agency officials and that of the Local Government Area including officials of the state Project   Implementation Unit, PIU visited the clinic for the ongoing assessment status and implementation on the pilot scheme of the Nigeria State Health Investment Project, NSHIP and   Performance Based Financing, PBF in 37 Health Facilities selected in Jere and Maiduguri Council Areas.