Food poisoning hits 80 students

Panic was the prevalent emotion yesterday as about 80 students from Lunzu Secondary School in Blantyre were rushed to Mlambe Mission Hospital following a suspected case of food poisoning.

Parents and guardians rushed to the school and the hospital after news broke that some students had collapsed and were rushed to the hospital.

Three of the students are being treated as in-patients after showing signs of vomiting and diarrhoea, according to the hospital’s healthcare worker Precious Mkwina.

She said: “We have diagnosed the students who were rushed here with acute gastroenteritis secondary to acute food poisoning.

“We suspect that they consumed food with chemicals .However, we have yet to get results from Blantyre District Health Office, who will run the tests to establish the exact chemical.”

Mkwina said there were no casualties and that the condition of the students was not worrisome.

She said: “Let me refute allegations that two students have succumbed to the condition. Most of the students have already been discharged.”

In a separate interview, Ministry of Education public relations officer Mphatso Nkuonera said the ministry had yesterday temporarily suspended all food services provided at the school.

“So far, some students have been affected, but most of them are responding to treatment well. Currently, three of the learners are still at the hospital waiting for further observation,” he said.

Health Rights Education Coalition executive director Maziko Matemba yesterday said school authorities should take the incident as a wake-up call on food safety to learners.

One of the parents, Patricia Tchayatchaya, whose daughter was among the affected students, said she complained of abdominal pains.

“She told me that she started having stomach pains and opening bowels after consuming bitter nsima from the previous night,” she said.

Another parent Davie Mateyu from Mpemba in Blantyre said his son collapsed but is recovering well.

Efforts to talk to the head teacher proved futile as his phone went unanswered while a questionnaire sent through Whatsapp was not responded to as we went to press at 6.30pm.