This news report investigates the alarming rate of convulsions and deaths among children in Nigeria's Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. It highlights the lack of access to healthcare, diagnostic limitations, and the devastating impact on families. The article also touches on the role of preventable illnesses and the need for improved medical resources in these vulnerable communities.
altumi Mustapha was waiting her turn to fetch water at a borehole on a sunny afternoon in 2019 when a neighbour came running and urged her to return home immediately. Panic gripped Mrs Mustapha as she abandoned her bucket and hurried back to her shelter. She found her four-year-old daughter, Aisha, convulsing on the floor, her body jerking violently, teeth clenched, and breath weakening. “I was so scared that this might be worse than I had seen before.
I wanted to hold her, but her bones were rigid, and her body was stiff. I had to carry her with all my might and rushed her to the hospital in town, Waru,” Mrs Mustapha recalled. Sadly, despite desperate efforts to save her, Aisha did not survive this episode. Her death is one of many in Abuja’s Wassa IDP camp, where convulsions – often linked to preventable illnesses – continue to claim young lives.convulsions are rapid, involuntary muscle contractions that cause uncontrollable shaking and limb movement lasting from a few seconds to several minutes. They are commonly associated with epileptic seizures but can also result from infections, fever, or brain trauma. Also, they may affect a specific part of the body or the entire body. Studies have shown that cerebral malaria, a severe form of malaria, can cause convulsions, coma, and even death. The parasite that causes malaria, plasmodium falciparum, can infect the brain and cause inflammation, leading to convulsions and other neurological symptoms. The study added that over 575,000 cases occur annually in sub-Saharan Africa, primarily affecting children under five. The mortality rate remains alarmingly high, with 15-20 per cent of children dying despite treatment. Survivors face an increased risk of neurological damage, cognitive impairments, behavioural difficulties, and epilepsy.Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Epilepsy – a chronic neurological disorder marked by recurrent seizures – is another significant cause of convulsions. According to the (WHO), approximately 50 million people worldwide live with epilepsy, with 80 per cent residing in low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria. Experts state that up to 70 per cent of people living with epilepsy could live seizure-free if properly diagnosed and treated. However, in IDP camps, where access to healthcare is severely limited, convulsions often go undiagnosed and untreated, leading to dire consequences, including death.Mrs Mustapha recalled that it wasn’t the first time Aisha had experienced convulsions, but on that day, the situation was worse. Before the unfortunate episode that claimed Aisha’s life, her mother had been taking her to a nearby chemist for some injections administered by a nurse. The nurse, who later told her that the facility lacked the capacity to fully treat Aisha’s illness, advised her to try traditional medicine instead. “I started using traditional medicine, but her convulsions became more frequent and severe,” Mrs Mustapha said. “She became weaker, and after a week, the sickness struck again in the middle of the night—and that was it.” Mrs Mustapha, a petty trader from Gwoza in Borno State, fled her home in 2014 due to insurgent attacks. She now faces constant battles with hunger, disease, and the trauma of violence.Aisha’s death was not an isolated case; convulsions claimed the lives of 12 other children in the camp within five years leaving behind grieving parents who could do little to save them due to poor healthcare access and a lack of awareness about the condition. “It happened so fast,” she recalled. “One moment, she was fine, then she started shaking violently. Her fists clenched, her legs stiffened, and saliva came from her mouth. It lasted about 10 minutes… then she stopped breathing.” Mrs Ali couldn’t even call for help – helplessly watching as her daughter slipped away. It was only after the tragedy that she first heard the term ‘chiwon susu,’ the Hausa name for convulsions – an affliction that had been quietly killing children in the camp. For Aisha Shuaibu, another widow in the Wassa camp, the pain cuts even deeper – she lost two of her eight children to convulsions, one six years ago and another four years ago. Like Mrs Ali, she noticed a troubling pattern: the illness always seemed to strike during the hot season, catching parents off guard.Her son, Aliyu, was just one year and six months old when convulsions claimed his life
Convulsions IDP Camps Nigeria Healthcare Malaria Epilepsy Child Mortality Health Crisis
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