ONITSHA — Within the last three to four weeks, hundreds of people in Onitsha has been on self-medication for malaria and typhoid. Although before now, most Nigerians do not go to the hospital for a proper diagnosis before treatment, and this is a very common practice among most Nigerians. Instead, they often treat malaria and typhoid, and usually, that settles it for them.
However, the situation in Onitsha in Anambra state, the commercial nerve centre of West Africa has become really suspicious because of COVID-19. Many Onitsha residents on social media have confessed to losing their taste and sense of smell in addition to having high temperature.
These are some of the most popular symptoms of COVID-19 but coincidentally also some of the symptoms of malaria and typhoid. Facebook user and on-air personality, Donia who resides in Onitsha made a post that she lost her taste and sense of smell and felt really sick. But she treated malaria and used supplements and now feels good. She also said many Onitsha residents she has come across in the past few weeks are either sick or recovering from sickness. In another post, Donia suggested that Anambra state government should lock down the state for at least three days, “especially Onitsha”, she said.
Another Facebook user, Harrison who is also a university lecturer in Anambra and doubles as an appointee of the state government, made the following post; “The rate of fever in Onitsha is very high as at today (2nd June 2020). The government has assured Ndi Anambra not to panic. We just have to increase our hygiene”. Some Onitsha residents commented on the post. One Iyke said that about three people already died in his area recently. Loritta said for weeks now, she cannot smell or perceive anything. For Nwanneka, another Onitsha resident, she cannot smell or feel the taste of anything including food. Interestingly, all have been on self-medication, and none have tested for COVID-19.
Anambra state as a whole with a population of about five million people has only tested a handful of people for COVID-19, not up to one hundred. The state also has recorded only a few cases. According to Governor Obiano’s broadcast yesterday, 2nd June, Anambra has two confirmed active cases who are in the state’s isolation centres. The governor noted however that sixty-nine people are on self-isolation in their homes. So far, Anambra has only one case of death on account of COVID-19. It is therefore not clear what is happening in Onitsha. The best way to establish any possible case of COVID-19 outbreak is by testing, but that is not happening/.
In an attempt by the West African Pilot News to unravel what is happening in Onitsha, a number of Onitsha residents were contacted and interviewed. Obiora a resident of Fegge in Onitsha said there is no cause for alarm in his area. Although he said that people are complaining that the weather is hot and very harsh. Aside that, he said he is not aware if many people are falling ill around Fegge Onitsha. Grace, a resident of Awada Onitsha, said that many people in Awada are falling ill. According to her, it is very serious and even her husband has been ill and only recovered a few days ago. She however did not mention anything as to what she feels was the cause of the sudden and mass illness in Awada Onitsha. Grace concluded that she thinks “it’s in the air”.
Stanley another resident of Awada Onitsha said that many people in his area are falling sick and he does not understand why. According to him, “it is so alarming that in one chemist shop around Awada here, in the evening you will see over twenty people taking drip. I have never seen that kind of thing before. You know people are afraid to go to hospital. Many people do not want to go to hospital because maybe they will be tested for COVID-19 and be quarantined. I was sick too but I have recovered”, Stanley said. Ebere an Onitsha resident and a business man responded that in his own area at Federal Housing Akpata Onitsha, many people are getting sick. In fact, he said, “there is this clinic in my area, each time I pass, I see more and more people there. But it is malaria”, he concluded. According to him, in main market Onitsha, he also noticed many people are treating malaria. Well, “I don’t think it is COVID-19, it is malaria”, Ebere has said.
It is not certain if what is happening in Onitsha is some sort of malaria outbreak like many respondents were insisting. Although Onitsha has so many open drainages filled with water and scattered all over the city. This naturally provides breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
It is plausible that as the raining season has returned, the number of swamps in and around neighborhoods has increased and the gutters are filled again thereby providing an enabling environment for mosquitoes to breed. However, there is no evidence that supports the claim that it is malaria that many Onitsha residents are having, because, most of those treating malaria are on self-medication and had no test prior to the treatment.
Reacting to the story, the Anambra State Commissioner for Health; Dr. Vincent Okpara when contacted by West African Pilot News correspondent described the stories as “rumors”. According to the Commissioner, “we have officers in all local government areas of Anambra State and we have not gotten any report to that effect. We have emergency numbers and we encourage people to call our emergency numbers. Onitsha is a city of over five hundred thousand people.
I also saw a message on Facebook but it has no proof. The challenge is that we cannot hold anyone. Even the people circulating this message cannot show us someone with these symptoms. They are not helping us. We are not magicians and if people don’t notify us, there is no way we can act”.
It therefore remains uncertain what is happening in Onitsha or how Anambra government may intervene in an attempt to ascertain and determine the true position of things as regards sudden illness and mass treatment of malaria in Onitsha.
Ebuka graduated with a second-class upper-division degree in Political Science from the University of Calabar in Nigeria. He furthered his education by obtaining a Master's Degree in Political Science with a specialization in Government and Development Studies from Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Nigeria. His academic background and professional experience have equipped him with a deep understanding of political dynamics and governance issues.
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