Twenty- five pupils at St Andrews Primary School in Nuu ward in Mwingi Central constituency in Kitui county have been admitted at Mwingi Level 4 hospital in critical condition after consuming maize meal made from suspected expired flour at the institution.
Area Public Health Chief Officer Lynne Kitwan on Friday led a team of health officers to the school and after an inspection, confiscated over 700 kilograms of expired maize flour, which the health team linked the 25 sick school children.
The confiscated maize flour is currently under the custody of the Nuu police station, as the public health officers embark on investigation. Kitwan lamented over feeding of expired food to pupils at the private primary school institution, and wondered about the presence of the expired maize flour supplies at the school’s store.
“It is a sad occurrence, a sad affair that had happened in a private school. It is sad because parents and guardians of these pupils pay a lot of money so that their children can have the best education, care, food and security in private institutions like this one,” said Kitwan. The health officer noted that the 25 pupils were rushed to the hospital while in critical condition, but doctors have stabilised them.
Kitwan and her team of health officers have ordered the immediate closure of the institution to allow the health investigation of the suspected food poisoning at the school.
The County Chief Officer of Medical Services, Dr Ben Wambua expressed regret that it is a shame for the school to alter the expiry date on maize flour packages.
