Twenty four children in Gathiani village, Gatundu north sub-county are recuperating at various hospitals in Kiambu County after consuming a poisonous fruit’s seeds.
Sixteen of them were today admitted at Thika Level 5 hospital, while eight are admitted at Kamwangi sub-county hospital suffering from stomachaches and vomiting.
The children said they collected the unidentified fruits from a farm where they peeled them and ate the seeds. They then started vomiting and developed stomach pains.
“We returned home and told our parents because we were vomiting and in great pain. They then took us to hospital,” said one of the children.
Beatrice Wawira, mother to one of the children said they gave the children water to drink to reduce the stomach pains before taking them to Kamwangi Hospital at around 7am.
John Ngari, another parent from the same area said the plant was allegedly introduced in the area by Agricultural officers in 2007 through a programme where the farmers would sell the fruits to the officers.
Confirming the incident, public health officer at Thika Level 5 Hospital, Maina Kariuki said the children were responding well to treatment and were in stable condition.
He said they were liaising with agriculture officers to establish the identity of the fruit adding that if need be they will take the fruit to the government chemist for tests to be carried out.
Kariuki called on residents to be careful on what they consume given the recent cholera outbreak in the country.