Food poisoning: Family demands investigation over grandma, children’s death in Ondo

The family of the late Mrs. Esther Adeola, a grandmother who died along with her four grandchildren over alleged food poisoning, has called on the Ondo State Government to investigate the circumstances that led to the deaths.

The deceased persons died after allegedly consuming contaminated food in the Gaga area of Oke Aro Akure, the state capital.

With the 68-year-old grandmother giving up the ghost moments after taking the meal, the grandchildren were said to have died the following day at the University of Medical Sciences University Teaching Hospital, UNIMEDTH.

Speaking on the incident on Tuesday, Ademola Adeola, son of the deceased grandmother, revealed that after drinking the pap early on Saturday, they started vomiting and complaining of stomach aches.

According to him, the late children were aged nine, eight, six, and three years, stressing that all efforts to revive the deceased persons at UNIMEDTH failed over lack of facilities to resuscitate the victims.

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“I observed that they started vomiting and complaining of stomach ache, so I rushed them to the UNIMEDTH. One of the doctors asked me, How am I sure these children were poisoned? He said I should go and give them palm oil to drink.

“I heard him saying I don’t know what to give them; I don’t know what to do; I’m tired. Later, they gave them some drugs, and I believe it was the drugs that killed them,” he said.

While speaking on the allegation, the Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Banji Ajaka, denied the allegations that the victims died out of negligence of the doctors at the UNIMEDTH.

Ajaka said, “I myself was at the hospital with them; there were four consultants and other doctors trying to save the lives of the children, but unfortunately they died.

“So it is not true that the hospital lacks the facility to tackle such a case. It is not the fault of the doctors; it is unfortunate this happened. I pray to God to give the family the fortitude to bear the loss.”