Four children – Vivian Juliet (15), Steven Otieno (13), Christine Faith (11) and Calvince Otieno (8) – were yesterday confirmed dead after feeding on poisonous cassava.
The four were all pupils at Barding Primary School. Another victim, Rosely Flavia, is in critical condition at the Siaya County Referral Hospital.
The survivor, Rosely Flavia, was admitted in critical condition at the Siaya County Referral Hospital.
According to the mother, the all began complaining of the painful stomach after eating the boiled cassava.
“My children loved dancing and because there was a music programme on a local radio station, I had asked them to dance for a fee. I had promised that whoever won would get Sh20 from me,” recalled Ms Ouma.
“When one started complaining of a stomach ache, we didn’t think it was serious. But my little boy kept complaining and then he started vomiting and shaking. I realised there was something very wrong.”
“After realizing that almost everyone in the house was experiencing stomachache, we all rushed to a nearby private hospital for a checkup and it’s when I realized that the problem might have been caused by the cassava,” Ouma said.
The important food source in tropical countries has been addressed to posses dangerous poison in the roots and leaves of poorly processed cassava plants. when eaten, can trigger the production of cyanide.
When eaten following poor preparation, medics say that it contains a dangerous substance that can trigger the production of cyanide.
“We managed to treat the mother and two other children who also complained of stomach and lower back pain but the other three were critical and died while being treatment. We have already allowed the mother and one of her daughters to go home but Flavia is still getting treatment,” confirmed the doctor.
Linamarin – the toxic compound of cassava
The grown root crop accumulates two cyanogenic glucosides, linamarin and lotaustralin. Linamarin accounts for more than 80% of the cassava cyanogenic glucosides. It is a ß-glucoside of acetone cyanohydrin and ethyl-methyl-ketone-cyanohydrin.
If you take cassavas and within a short while you start experiencing abdominal pain, headache, vomiting, and diarrhea kindly visit the nearest hospital immediately.
The poison is said to highly concentrated on the immediate first layer-soft layer of the cassava after the outer ‘skin’ and in the middle root.