From Musa Muhammad Kutama, Calabar
The Cross River State Government has launched an urgent investigation into the activities of medicine vendors in Ebom, a community in the Abi Local Government Area, where an outbreak of abnormal sleep disorders has left many residents hospitalized.
The government suspects the disorders may be linked to trypanosomiasis or substance abuse.
Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, the State Commissioner for Health, along with Dr. Vivien Mesembe Otu, Director General of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, confirmed the rapid response to contain the situation.
The government has instructed the directorates of medical and pharmaceutical services to immediately probe local patent medicine vendors operating in Ebom and other surrounding communities.
A statement issued by Dr. Ayuk on Tuesday revealed that initial investigations have shown alarming results. Blood and urine samples taken from affected individuals and analyzed at Asi Ukpo Hospital and the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital indicated dangerously high levels of benzodiazepines, a class of powerful sedatives and depressants.
“Benzodiazepines are potent and potentially fatal substances that should never be dispensed without the approval of a certified medical professional,” Dr. Ayuk warned. He reiterated the government’s commitment to safeguarding public health, assuring residents that action would be taken against illegal vendors dispensing these hazardous substances.
The investigation will focus on mapping the activities of local medicine vendors, reviewing their certifications and staffing, and examining their suppliers and connections with public health facilities.
The team will also look into the health-seeking behaviors of the affected individuals, potential links to substance abuse, and the broader misuse of benzodiazepines in the community.
The investigation team, which has been given one week to complete its work, will collaborate with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and the State Health Quality and Anti-Quackery Taskforce to uncover the full extent of the problem and take appropriate action.
Dr. Ayuk emphasized that the government was committed to ensuring safe and legal access to medicine for all residents of Cross River State and would hold those responsible for illegal drug distribution accountable.
