By Paul Gitau
Tana Delta, Kenya: Seven members of a family from Kipao village in Tana Delta have been admitted at the Malindi District Hospital in critical condition after allegedly eating relief food.
They were rushed to hospital by a Kenya Red Cross official Monday evening when they fell unconscious a few minutes after having dinner.
Speaking to The Standard from a hospital bed Monday, a member of the affected family, Omar Salado, said they ate rice and beans before they all fell ill.
Others who were admitted included his mother, grandfather, two brothers and two sisters. Two other members of his family were treated at a local dispensary and returned home.
Relief agencies
The food they cooked had been distributed by relief agencies to villagers displaced by floods after River Tana burst its banks three weeks ago.
It is not clear if the food was contaminated. However, other families that received the same relief food have not fallen ill. Salado said they could have suffered food poisoning, but asked the Government to undertake thorough investigation.
“The relief food was randomly distributed to a number of families in the village and I wonder why it was only our share that was poisoned,” Salado said.
A doctor at the district hospital, Hafswa Mohamed said that the seven may have suffered food poisoning.
