No fewer than 48 people have died in Gandu area, Sokoto State following an outbreak of malaria. The Officer in Charge of Kofar Kade Clinic, Mrs Rabi Ahmed-Gandi, disclosed this in Sokoto on Friday when she received the second consignment of free anti-malarial drugs from the State Government.



She said: "These deaths were recorded out of the 382 patients who were hospitalised in the hospital during the period under review. The problem had hitherto reached an epidemic level, although it had subsided now." 

She attributed the problem to the contamination of the environment sequel to the prevalence of toxic refuse heaps.

Ahmed commended the state government for its swift intervention, saying that it has helped to stabilise the ugly situation. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Balarabe Kakale, said that the state government had provided essential drugs and medicament to the area.