Integrity Club, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO, based in Damaturu, says residents of Pawari ward suffer from tooth and bone deformation.
The NGO’s findings attributed the problem to the high fluoride content of the water residents consumed. It said the fluoride consumed by residents was between 22 mg and 25 mg as against the 1.5 mg per litre recommended by WHO.
The NGO’s representative, Ify Adebola said that laboratory tests on the deep well water consumed by residents showed that the fluoride content was 14 times higher than the recommended level.
“Two third of the residents between ages one and thirty suffer from dental and skeletal fluorisis”, she said.
Adebola added that some two hundred children in the area which had a population of about two thousand suffer decay, weakening and loss of tooth.
She further said deformation of limbs, skulls and bones, high rate of aging, gastro-intestinal diseases and, psychological trauma, were some of the health problems of the community.
“The NGO will soon embark on a three-month programme that includes advocacy, mobilisation and provision of bore holes as well as renovation of overhead and under ground water tanks in the area.
“This is aimed at protecting the people from such deformities as communities have been facing this problem for about 300 years,” she added.