At least 140 students at Kituro high school in Baringo Central are undergoing treatment for food poisoning. Baringo Education director Mr Willie Machocho said the students consumed expired bread at the school on Monday morning for breakfast.
It is then that the students started complaining of acute headache and stomach ache which are some of the symptoms of food poisoning.
Depending on the source of contamination, food poisoning symptoms will vary. Other symptoms include, nausea, Watery or bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramps and even vomiting.
The school management rushed them to Kituro dispensary for examination and treatment.
According to Machocho, the students could not be admitted in hospital because of the ongoing countrywide nurses strike that has paralysed operation in most public hospitals in the country.
The learners were released after consultations with Board of Governors and parents who advised that the school allow them seek treatment in private hospitals.
“The facility was not able to handle high number of learners and some required to seek further examination and treatment, that is why the management decided to release them to go home,” said the director.
He dismissed allegations that had circulated on social media that the learners were suffering from cholera. The school according to him has clean drinking water and that public health officers have consistently inspected food that is supplied to the school.
“is no single incident of cholera,” he affirmed.
Immediately after the incident, Machocho said contract of the bread supplier was stopped to allow further probe that is being conducted by health experts together with the police.
“Public health officers have taken samples of bread consumed by learners for further tests and contract of the supplier has been stopped,” said the officer.
He said action will be taken against the supplier after investigations are concluded.
The school has an enrolment of 840 students.
