Two children die in Siaya after eating poisonous cassava

Cassava. Two children have died in Siaya County after consuming cassava believed to be poisonous. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The incident happened Sunday night in Sirunga Village, Ambira Sub-Location in Ugunja Sub-County.

  • Doctors at the hospital managed to treat the other three children aged one, five and 11 years.

  • The bodies of the two children are at the Bama Hospital mortuary.

Two children have died in Siaya County after consuming cassava believed to be poisonous.

The incident happened Sunday night in Sirunga Village, Ambira Sub-Location in Ugunja Sub-County.

Margaret Akoth (3) and Allan Odhiambo (10) were rushed to Siaya County Referral Hospital and Bama Hospital respectively where they died.

They had eaten the cassava at lunch time.

According to the children’s father, Mr Peter Onyango Olanga, he had bought the cassava from a neighbour at Sh50 and prepared them for lunch for his five children aged between one and 11 years.

Mr Oluga said the children started vomiting and complaining of stomach ache at around 7pm.

RUSHED TO HOSPITAL

He rushed them to the nearby Ambira Sub-County Hospital and was referred to the Siaya County Referral Hospital where the first child died.

Mr Oluga claimed there was delayed service at the hospital.

"Their mother had gone to a funeral at her maternal home when I prepared them the meal. All was well till 7pm when I rushed them to Ambira dispensary which lacked medicine only to be referred to Siaya County Referral Hospital which had no medical personnel when my little girl died," said Mr Olunga.

He added that they were forced to rush the four children to the nearby Bama hospital only for the 10-year-old boy to pass on.

THREE TREATED

However, doctors at the hospital managed to treat the other three children aged one, five and 11 years who managed to regain consciousness before they were discharged.

Mrs Seline Onyango, who had gone to attend a funeral in Alego/Usonga said that she received a call informing her that her children were in critical condition and she rushed to the hospital only to find two of her children dead.        
She has appealed to the Siaya County government to come to help the family so foot the hospital and mortuary bills.

"We call upon Governor Cornel Rasanga, MP Opiyo Wandayi and MCA to come to our aid and help us raise the treatment as well as the mortuary fees to enable us bury our children," said Mrs Seline.

The bodies of the two children are at the Bama Hospital mortuary.

Contacted, Ugunja OCPD Samuel Koskei said that they have not received the information on the incident.

SEEK SPECIALIST ADVICE

Mr Koskei asked residents to seek specialist advice on what type of cassava they should consume.

Cassava could be poisonous if not prepared in the correct manner.

When preparing it, cassava should be properly peeled and thoroughly cooked.

If it is eaten raw or not prepared in the right way, digestive enzymes attack one of its chemical constituents producing the deadly cyanide poison.