No fewer than 154 students of Government Science Secondary School, Batagarawa, Katsina State, were hospitalised following suspected adverse reactions to praziquantel tablets administered for the treatment of bilharzia.
The incident occurred on Monday, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Katsina State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu.
Aliyu said the students developed symptoms of adverse drug reaction after receiving the tablets from the school authorities.
Praziquantel is used to treat schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, a parasitic disease associated with contact with freshwater contaminated by the parasites.
The police spokesman said all affected students were taken to hospital for treatment, with no casualties or deaths recorded.
He added that the last 25 students kept in hospital for further medical observation had also been treated and discharged.
According to him, all the affected students are in good health and have been reunited with their families and schoolmates.
The Commissioner of Police, Ali Umar Fage, thanked members of the public for their cooperation and calmness during the incident.
He urged residents to refrain from spreading unverified reports and assured that the command would continue to protect lives and property across the state.
