A five-year-old boy, who was until his reported death, a Nursery I pupil of Immaculate Heart Conception School in Uwalakande village, in the Okpoitumo Autonomous Community, Izzi Local Government Area of the state, has reportedly died while being forced to take a deworming pill.

According to the deceased boy’s mother, Mrs Ukamaka Nwome, who narrated the incident, said her child was healthy before he was given the alleged killer medicine known as “Albendazole” by some staff of Offia Oji Health Center.

She added that her son had initially rejected the medicine given by the health workers, but following the decision of some of her family members who wanted him to partake in the vaccination exercise, the tablet was administered to the boy which later led to his death shortly after, he was ingested of the pill.

She disclosed that after the pill was administered on her son, he became unconscious and all efforts to resuscitate him, proved abortive.

She said,

“He was quickly rushed to a medical centre, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor.”

Mrs Nwome further added,

“My son did not complain of any ailment before he took the pill, I regret the manner through which he has lost his life.”

The victim’s paternal grandmother, Mrs Mbam Nwite, also blamed those that were around during the incident for ignoring the boy’s reaction to the pill.

She described the situation as an unpleasant one but attributed it to fate.

The Officer-in-Charge of the health centre, Mr Paulinus Ngwuta, said the staff did not have any hand in the boy’s death as the deworming tablet was solely administered by the victim’s relatives.

He disclosed that the Albendazole, which was meant for the treatment of a Neglected Tropical Disease, was donated by an International Non-Governmental Organization known as Carter Center.

According to him, the drug was distributed across the country on a particular day, adding that the little boy refused to take it, but eventually did on the instance of his relatives.

He stressed that after the family learnt of the child’s refusal, they requested for the medicine from the health workers, who were known as Community Direct Distributors, “With the assurance that a friendly approach would be adopted to administer the drug.”

He said that based on the plea, the medicine was released but shortly after his men had gone out of the health facility, the boy’s relatives screamed and upon inquiry, it was discovered that Mister Jerome, had died, following his people’s action in forcing the tablet on him.

“After the Distributors had gone out of the place, suddenly the people’s shout attracted their attention and in order to render a helping hand, the child was rushed to our Center where he was confirmed dead by a doctor.

“The problem should not be associated with the medicine because such an incident has not been heard about the tablet in other parts of the first,” he explained.

The Police Relations Officer in the state, DSP Loveth Odah, said the report of the incident, had not officially reached her office as of the time of filing this report.