Three-year-old girl dies after eating poisonous cassava in Kakamega
A three-year-old girl died in Kakamega County after eating a cassava meal suspected to have been toxic.
What you need to know:
- Four of her siblings are receiving treatment at the Matungu sub-county hospital after also eating the cassava.
- Their grandmother Stellah Shiundu who was also affected by the toxic meal was treated and discharged.
- At around 3 pm, the five children and their grandmother, Stellah Shiundu started complaining of stomach pains and vomiting.
A three-year-old girl has died in Kakamega County after eating a cassava meal suspected to have been toxic.
Four of her siblings are receiving treatment at the Matungu sub-county hospital after eating the cassava which had been prepared by their mother.
Their grandmother Stellah Shiundu who was also affected by the toxic meal was treated and discharged.
The five children are aged nine, seven, six, four and three years.
The family of Mr Okiya Kasamani from Chanda village in Khalaba sub-location bought the cassava from a neighbour for Sh30 and boiled it for lunch on Saturday.
At around 3 pm, the five children and their grandmother, Stellah Shiundu started complaining of stomach pains and vomiting.
They took painkillers which did not help them and in the middle of the night, they became critically ill and were rushed to Khalaba health centre before they were transferred to Matungu sub-county hospital.
Ms Dolphin Shiundu, the mother of the children said the six family members were admitted to the hospital at around 3 am.
Her daughter who was on treatment succumbed while receiving treatment.
“I was called by my brother Dennis Shiundu informing me that the children and our mother had fallen sick after eating cassava and had been rushed to Matungu hospital. I went to the hospital to find out what had happened. On arrival, I found my three-year-old daughter in critical condition and she had been out on oxygen support but she, unfortunately, passed on,” said Ms Shiundu.
Other members of the family of eight did not show any sign of illness despite eating the cassava meal.
The grandmother who stays with the children said she bought the cassava from her neighbour before preparing it for lunch.
“One of my sons, ate the meal and rejected it saying it had a sour taste. The rest of us ate the cassava to our fullest without knowing it would affect us later,” said Ms Stellah.
Doctors at the hospital said the four children were out of danger.
“We are still observing them to ensure they have recovered fully discharging them,” said one of the doctors.
Matungu sub-county public health officer Kevin Lumwachi said the children and their grandmother had suffered from cassava poisoning.
“Apart from the youngest who succumbed, the rest responded well to medication and are out of danger,” said Mr Lumwachi.
