As diphtheria continues to claim the lives of many Nigerians, a grandmother in Jos, the Plateau State capital, Fatimatu Abdullahi, has explained how the disease took the lives of her two grandchildren within a week.

The grandmother, who resides in the Bauchi Road community, described the deaths of her grandchildren as unforgettable, considering how the disease attacked them without anyone knowing exactly what the problem was.

The victims — Umar Muktar (14) and Hauwa Shapi’u (17) — lived with their grandmother before their deaths.

Narrating the situation, the grandmother said, “All of them were living with me before they died. Umar was the first to develop the illness. Within three to four days he gave up, and we didn’t know what was wrong because they didn’t go to a specialized hospital.

“Two days after he died, Hauwa also developed an illness with the same symptoms and behavior, and subsequently died. Before she died, Hauwa was taken to Jos University Teaching Hospital, where she was moved to the isolation centre and later confirmed to have diphtheria. But it was too late to cure the disease. That was when we even knew Umar too was killed by the disease because they all experienced same symptoms and situation, “ she added.

The grandmother further explained that the children’s condition deteriorated quickly and couldn’t be rescued, noting that, “It started with complaints of sore throats. Later, their throats swelled and they could not eat or drink,” she said.

The father of one of the deceased, Shapi’u Abdullahi, said Hauwa was his first daughter.

He described her as a good child who would be remembered by members of the family.

“She had been promoted to SS3 and was expected to write her SSCE next. I lost a daughter who was brilliant and obedient. It is a big loss to the entire family. I will live to remember her,” the father said.

Daily Trust gathered that members of the affected families have since been given vaccines against the disease.

Our correspondent reports that authorities in the state have been creating awareness on the need to report illnesses with certain symptoms to arrest the problem. (Daily Trust)