64 Katsina Students Hospitalized After Drug Reactions

On October 27, 2026, at least 64 students from Government Science Secondary School in Batagarawa, Katsina State, were hospitalized due to adverse reactions after taking medication intended to prevent and treat bilharzia. Symptoms included vomiting, stomach pain, and dizziness, with some students arriving at hospitals unconscious.

They were treated at Ahmadi Rimi General Hospital and Turai Yar’Adua Maternal and Child Hospital. Dr Auwal Sani, Medical Director of Ahmadi Rimi General Hospital, confirmed that while some students were unconscious upon arrival, they were responding well to treatment.

Yusuf Sulaiman Jibia, the Katsina State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, stated that all affected students had recovered and arrangements were being made for their return to school. The drug administration was organized by the Primary Health Care Authorities in collaboration with Batagarawa Local Government Area.

An investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the adverse reactions, with no conclusions yet regarding the medication or dosage.