By Mohammed Balu, GNA
Tumu, (UWR), Sept. 14, GNA – Chief Mahamud Mumuni Tina, Head of the Fulani Community in the Sissala East Municipality, has expressed worry about the spate of mysterious deaths among members of the Fulbe community in the area.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Tumu, Chief Tina said about 21 people from different communities have died at the Tumu Government Hospital and other facilities over the past three weeks, with similar symptoms and signs.
“For all the deaths, after passing out, you will notice clots of blood coming from the nose and the anus. This is so strange and something we have never seen before”, the Chief said.
He said they initially suspected the deaths could be linked to water sources community members used while herding animals in the bush.
Chief Tina, however, said their suspicion was later challenged when women and girls who were born and raised in the area and had no involvement in animal herding also reportedly died under similar circumstances.
He said the development had created fear and anxiety among members of the Fulbe community, with the people becoming increasingly concerned about what could be the cause of the deaths.
He dismissed the possibility of the people importing the disease, stressing that the affected people were not recent migrants from elsewhere.
“We were all born here, and none of the affected came from anywhere. We expect the health authorities to help us find out what is happening. The number of elderly people, children, including girls, who are dying is unbearable.
“Even just today, I got information that another Fulbe from Yigantu was sent to the Welembelle Polyclinic, and he died with similar symptoms.
Another person who was sent to a clinic across the border in Leo in Burkinafaso also reportedly died”, Chief Tina said
The Chief, therefore, called on health authorities and other relevant agencies to urgently investigate the reported deaths and determine their causes, and questioned why it was attacking only the Fulbe.
Mr Clifford Vengkungmwini, Sissala East Municipal Director of Health Services, told the GNA that his office had been notified by the Nabugubelle Health Centre of four deaths and two suspected cases of the nature of deaths described by the Fulbe Chief.
He said the Upper West Regional Health Directorate had also been notified of the situation, and blood samples taken from the two cases and sent to the regional health directorate for onward submission to the referral laboratory in Accra for testing.
Mr Vengkumwini said preliminary investigations had, however, been conducted, with health authorities considering food or chemical poisoning, snake bites, and viral haemorrhagic fever as possible causes.
He added that a rapid response team had been constituted and would be deployed to the field after the laboratory results had been received.
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante Agyei
Reporter: Mohammed Balu, GNA
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