Six victims of the suspected toxic herbal concoction consumption are still receiving treatment in a hospital in Ondo State, as the state government sealed a facility in Ore, Odigbo local government area, suspected of producing and storing the substances linked to the major health tragedy.
A doctor at the hospital, who spoke with LEADERSHIP Sunday on the condition of anonymity, said six patients remained on admission after several others had been discharged.
The doctor said three of the patients had lost their sight, while two were also experiencing severe visual impairment.
“We have six people still receiving treatment. We have discharged many so far. The ones currently on admission are just six. Two are partially blind and two are on dialysis. We are still awaiting the report of opthalmologist on those with visual impairment,” the doctor said.
The development came as the state government intensified its crackdown on the production, sale and distribution of unverified alcoholic and herbal concoctions following the deaths of 49 people and the reported impact on about 182 others.
The facility in Ore was sealed after environmental health officials alerted the state government to its existence.
The permanent secretary, Ondo State Ministry of Health, Dr Ayodele Adiji, who led government officials to the facility, said the government would not allow the continued production or distribution of substances suspected to be responsible for the health crisis.
”The state government has banned the production of the alcohol substances in the state just to prevent lives. We want to prevent sales and consumption,” he said.
Adiji said the environmental health officers discovered the facility, which he described as resembling an underground storage or production site, following a tip-off.
According to him, drums containing a substance labelled as ethanol were found at the premises, but samples collected from the facility would be subjected to laboratory analysis to determine their actual composition.
The Permanent Secretary said government officials and environmental health personnel were working to identify other locations where the suspected substances were produced, stored or sold.
He warned operators of such facilities to comply with the government’s directive stopping the production and sale of the substances, regardless of claims of possessing licences.
“Those whom we meet there should face the law. Either you have a licence or not, stop selling it. The government’s order has overridden your licences,” he said.
