Drug Taskforce reveals ‘kush’ claims 11 people’s lives in 113 cases

Seven (7) new “Kush” associated suspected deaths have been reported from health facilities thus bringing the total to eleven (11) with a case fatality rate of (CFR) =9.7%.

One hundred and seven (107) people (5 female and 102 male) Interdicted (73 Gambians, 29 Sierra Leoneans, 2 Senegalese, 1 Nigerian and 2 Conakry Guineans.

• Five (5) new cases (i.e. 3 Gambian, 1 Sierra Leonean and 1 Conakry Guinean) were registered by the Drug and Law Enforcement Agency of the Gambia (DLEAG) thus bringing the total to 88.

Seventeen point 486 grams of “Kush” have recently been confiscated bringing the total to 6.03 kilograms.

Suspected cases of Drug and Substance Abuse Kush

In early February 2024, the Epidemiology and Disease Control (EDC) Programme was notified of an upsurge in cases of suspected drug and substance abuse known locally as “Kush” in western-1 health region. All the cases presented with pain, swollen tongue and lips, drooling saliva, and restlessness. As of 24th June 2024, 113 cases and 11 associated deaths were reported with a case fatality rate of 9.7% in The Gambia.

Initially, cases were reported from Kanifing General Hospital (KGH), Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH) and Serrekunda health Centre. Of recent, Banjulunding and Sukuta health centres, Brufut health center, Essau District Hospital and New Yundum health center have also started reporting cases.

As a result, the EDC immediately instituted a team to trigger the response. Relevant authorities and regional health directorates were notified of the event. A line listing template was shared to facilitate data collection, analysis, and interpretation. An inter-ministerial task force which included health, security, drug enforcement agency etc was created to coordinate the overall response of the event.

All the cases were reported from 6 districts within the country with Kombo North accounting for the highest (52%). The cases came from 44 communities within the districts with Bakau accounting for the highest (7%), Jabang and Lamin (5%), and Sukuta and Talinding (4%).

The clinical cases were reported from ten (10) health facilities (i.e. EFSTH, KGH, Serrekunda, Sukuta, Banjulinding, Brufut, Essau District Hospital, Ndemban Clinic, FJKHC and New Yundum Health Center). However, KGH reported the highest (47%) number of cases followed by EFSTH (37%).