All 154 students of Government Science Secondary School, Batagarawa, who were hospitalised following a mass administration of praziquantel tablets for bilharzia prevention, have been treated, discharged, and safely reunited with their families. ​
The incident began on Monday, October 26, 2026, when health officials from the Primary Healthcare Authority, in collaboration with the Batagarawa Local Government council, administered praziquantel to over 700 students in two batches as part of a routine mass deworming exercise against schistosomiasis (bilharzia). ​
Shortly after receiving the medications, several students developed acute adverse drug reactions, displaying severe symptoms such as nausea, abdominal discomfort, and dizziness. ​Following a distress call received by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for Batagarawa at approximately 4:20 PM on October 26, emergency medical protocols were activated.
The affected students were evacuated to designated health centers across the state, including; General Hospital, Katsina, Amadi Rimi Specialist Hospital, Katsina and Turai Yar’Adua Children’s Hospital, Katsina. ​Dr. Auwal Sani, Medical Director of Amadi Rimi Specialist Hospital, noted that while some students arrived unconscious, medical personnel stabilized them promptly, adding that dosage was calculated according to height measurements during the administration process. ​
Speaking on behalf of the Katsina State Police Command on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu confirmed that no lives were lost. ​”All 154 students affected by the adverse drug reaction at Government Science Secondary School, Batagarawa, have been successfully treated and discharged,” DSP Sadiq Aliyu stated.
“The last batch of 25 students held for observation were cleared after showing complete recovery. All affected students are in good health and high spirits.” ​The Commissioner of Police for Katsina State, CP Ali Umar Fage, commended the residents of Batagarawa and parents for their calm response and cooperation during the emergency.
CP Fage also urged members of the public to disregard circulating social media rumors alleging fatalities at the school, cautioning against the spread of unverified reports. ​Authorities have launched a routine review into the batch of medications administered to ensure standard medical protocols were strictly adhered to during the public health campaign.
