Second high school closes in Kakamega over health issues
By dennis-lumiti, April 5, 2023Another secondary school in Kakamega county was yesterday shut down due to health issues.
Students of Butere Boys High School were ordered to return to their homes after some of them fell sick on Monday night and yesterday morning.
“Over 100 boys started complaining of stomach upsets which could not be treated within the school. We decided to take them to Butere Hospital where they are being treated. They exhibited cholera-like symptoms,” said principal Henry Okusi.
He said they were forced to act fast to avert a crisis which is why they resolved to close the institution indefinitely.
Okusi said they had communicated to parents to come for their sons while public health officers investigated the cause of the illness.
“Dear parent. This is to inform you that your son has been sent home due to outbreak of stomach problems leading to diarrhoea,” he said in his message to parents.
The affected students complained of stomach pains, vomiting, dizziness and diarrhoea.
Okusi defended hygiene at the school but promised to issue a comprehensive statement later.
“We have invited public health officers who will unravel the cause of this problem,” he added.
Texted parents
He said they had never experienced such an incident in the past and that closure of the institution was the only precaution.
“Once the public health officers give us a report declaring the school as safe for your son, we shall recall them,” he said in the text message to parents.
Butere MP Tindi Mwale expressed shock at the situation and urged the health personnel to expedite investigations so as to enable the students resume studies.
“I have personally ensured that our students study in very comfortable environments including having safe water and meals. This news has, thus, astounded me,” he told the People Daily on phone.
Similar reasons
Butere Boys is the second school to be closed after Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls whose students were also sent home on Monday over similar reasons.
The closure of Mukumu Girls High School prompted
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale to demand the replacement of the entire school administration led by the Principal Fridah Ndolo whom he accused of negligence.
The order to close the institution was communicated to the principal from the Ministry of Education headquarters, Nairobi.
But, interestingly, Ndolo was absent when Dr Khalwale stormed the institution in the morning to inspect, among other facilities, its water sources and the stores.
He said preliminary findings from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) pointed at contaminated water and food for the cause of the outbreak.
Mukumu Girls has a population of over 1,500 students, majority of them were affected by the suspected food poisoning.
A total of 246 students were rushed to various hospitals last week after their conditions worsened while were given first aid at the school.
Some parents who had gotten wind of the situation and picked their children who complained of abdominal pains, dizziness, vomiting and diarrhoea. Two of the students succumbed to the illness in their respective homes during the weekend while the other passed on yesterday morning.
Twenty-six of the girls are still admitted at Kakamega Referral and St Elizabeth Mukumu Mission hospitals.