Following the death of 22 persons in Bonny and Mini-Woji of Rivers state, the State government has banned the sale and/or consumption of local gin popularly known as ‘ogogoro’ or ‘kai-kai’.
The victims were said to have died after consuming dog meat and the local gin suspected to contain ethanol, a poisonous substance believed to be responsible for the death of over 18 people in Ondo State earlier in the year.
Preliminary findings of the disease control unit of Rivers State Health ministry revealed that some of symptoms found in the affected persons included vomiting, stooling and blindness before death finally came.
In its report, the World Health Organisation had said that pesticide poisoning was the probable cause of mysterious deaths of over 18 people in Ode Irele, in Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Those who died also suffered from blurred vision, blindness, headaches, and then loss of consciousness before dying within 24 hours.
The present ban in Rivers State is aimed at preventing more deaths as a result of further consumption of the toxic substance in poorly produced local gin.
While addressing newsmen, the Director of Disease Control in the state’s Ministry of Health, Dr. Roland Obed Whyte, said the ministry would take samples of the drink for clinical analysis.
Dr. Obed Whyte, however, is concerned that getting samples of the drink is difficult because angry youths in the area had burnt down the shop of the dog meat seller.
He stated that by that single act where the suspected poisoned local gin and dog meat were bought, the efforts to substantiate the real course of the death has been greatly compromised.
Another challenge, he said confronting the ministry, is the detention in police custody of the owner of the shop who was said to have surrendered himself to the police willingly when some of his customers started dying from the suspected poisoned delicacy.
Further challenge at exhuming the cause of the deaths is that some victims of the suspected ethanol poisoning were hurriedly buried without.
To forestall further damages, health officials of the ministry are currently embarking on house-to-house enlightenment campaign on the dangers accruing from consumption of poisoned local gin.
Dr. Whyte called on WHO and the Federal Government to assist in preventing more deaths in the area because of the local gin.
