The Ogun State Government has disclosed that all persons admitted at the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, following the recent chemical inhalation incident in some schools within the town, have been discharged after receiving medical attention and being certified fit by health personnel.
The State Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, made this known during an engagement with parents, guardians, and residents at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, Ijebu-Ode.
She stated that the state government would deploy ambulance crews to all wards in Ijebu-Ode to ensure prompt emergency response, with each ambulance staffed by a driver and a paramedic.
Coker also disclosed that the government had established a medical response protocol to ensure that any patient taken to secondary health facilities and requiring advanced care would be immediately transferred to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital.
“There were persons admitted at the Ijebu-Ode State Hospital and others at Ijebu-Ife who were affected by the methane emission. Altogether, we had adults and children admitted, and I am glad to say that all have been discharged. They are hale and hearty,” she said.
The commissioner explained that methane is a non-toxic gas, but it competes with oxygen which the body and brain need to function properly. In mild concentrations, it may not produce symptoms, but moderate exposure can cause fatigue, rapid heartbeat, and breathing difficulties.
She urged residents not to panic in the event of any unusual occurrence, advising them to make use of the ministry’s emergency response line. She disclosed that district surveillance nurses, nursing officers, and rapid response personnel had already been deployed to the community.
The State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, disclosed that gas analysers had been installed around affected schools to monitor air quality, with plans to expand coverage across schools in Ijebu-Ode.
The Commissioner for Education warned against the spread of false information capable of causing panic, while the State Commissioner of Police disclosed that the command, alongside the School Protection Squad, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, and other specialised departments, had been deployed to secure schools and surrounding communities, with drones already being used to survey and monitor the affected environment.
