68 students from St. Thomas Secondary rushed to hospital after eating contaminated meat in Embu

At least 68 students from  St. Thomas Aquinas Igumori Secondary School in Embu county have been hospitalised  consuming contaminated beef.

They were exhibiting severe stomach pains and diarrhea that caused panic among the rest of the students and school community in general. Most of them are in Form Four.

Preliminary findings show they students ate a boiled head of a bull that had been slaughtered as part of motivating the school.

While majority of the students who had had the normal beef were unaffected, the ones who ingested the boiled head fell ill.

Majority were treated at Kiritiri Sub-County Hospital for medical care.

School principal Paul Mwaniki confirmed the incident, saying 55 students were treated and discharged while 13 were admitted for further observation.

The State Department for Health and Professional Standards assured the public that the situation is under control.

“The general public, parents and students are hereby assured that the situation is under control and there should be no panic over the same,” read a statement from the Ministry of Health.

Further it emphasized on the need for the general public to adhere to strict guidelines including implementation of proper hygiene and sanitation practices when handling food. Schools have been encouraged to strictly adhere to the Kenya School Meals, Food Safety and Quality guidelines.

They have also been advised to implement proper hygiene and sanitation practices in all food handling areas.

In the same press statement, school heads have also been reminded to ensure they prioritize the health and safety of the students. This, by implementing robust food safety protocols and ensuring clean, safe and hygienic learning environment.

Food business operators have also been urged to ensure they safety and quality of all food products they supply to schools. The products should be fresh in order to avoid any incidences of food poisoning.

Public health officers in charge of school sanitation and food safety have been urged to intensify food inspection and enforce regulations as per the Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act and the Public Health Act.

All health facilities have been urged to maintain high levels of preparedness to respond effectively to foodborne illnesses and outbreaks.

St.Thomas Aquinas Igumori Secondary School is among the schools whose cases of food poisoning have made it to the public eye. In 2023, Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls High School, Butere Boys High School and Ikonge Girls High School are some of the most recent schools that have had cases of food poisoning.