heart disease etc as being alluded to in the unfortunate kano harvest of
death where over 100 persons have died within a space of two days. These
conditions are not infectious or communicable.
Obviously, the listed ailments (diabetes, hypertension, heart, kidney
diseases etc) are medical conditions prevalent in the elderly ,50 years
and above, the age group mainly affected by the kano casualties. Even at
that age, dedicated patients can be well managed and remain stable for
the next 20years or more. In fact, most were in good health before their
illnesses developed suddenly and within a space of 48/ 72 hr they were
all dead or dying.
Even up till now similar reports are still being posted. So, the
situation has not abated. What this simply means is that there is a new
factor or condition that is dramatically compromising these otherwise
‘stable’ patients ABOUT THE SAME TIME leading to the high mortality
being experienced. An elderly known hypertensive dies because something
suddenly worsened his condition.
A professor known to be diabetic but clinically stable dies suddenly
because some unknown factor has compromised or complicated the initial
illness. According to Kano reports they all died from complications to
either hypertension, diabetes etc. It is this ‘new ‘ factor which is
complicating these otherwise stable patients that we now need to look at
as the cause of death. At this time, we don’t need to look far to know
that Covid 19 which has the capacity to undermine any patients with
these conditions is the likely possible denominator and the cause of
death of these persons. In medicine we have primary and secondary causes
of death.
The primary cause of death is defined as the disease or event that
started the chain of event that led to death. The secondary cause of
death is a consequence or complications of the primary or another
disease that might have contributed to the death of the person. The
primary cause may not kill the patient and in fact he may live with it
relatively for a good while. A man with a weak heart will live with it
so long he does not try climbing a mountain or running 100 meters or
suffer heart attack from bad news. An asthmatic will equally do well if
he is not exposed to stress or oxygen lack like being locked up in a
room full of smoke.
Your car with weak engine may continue to run if you service it
regularly. But the day you forget to top the oil or even used
adulterated oil your engine is as good as dead. Yes, we know their
primary conditions already but what killed them.? That is what we need
to uncover now, that is the secondary cause, the game changer which has
claimed so much in so short a time and if not identified early may be
the cause of more sorrow and tears.
If these patients had undergone testing, we could have empirical proof
of the secondary cause of death. Unfortunately, that is completely
missing. Unfortunately, also Medical practice does not recognise
“strange illness” as a diagnosis or ”mysterious death ” as cause of
death as being again alluded to by the Kano Government/ Health team.
Massive testing is now imperative as a diagnostic tool to identify the
predisposing cause of these deaths whether it’s Covid 19 or not and as a
prelude to massive treatment.
That is what the kano situation demand and that is what the Kano
Government must do in collaboration with NCDC. Living in denial with not
help kano and will not help the Nation.
Hon Dr Chris Oghenechovwen