Chronicle EditorWalter Mswazie Masvingo correspondent
About 70 students from the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe-run Morgenster Teachers’ College, a few kilometres from Masvingo city, were rushed to a local hospital after suffering from diarrhoea in a case of suspected food poisoning. Masvingo provincial medical director Dr Amadeus Shamu confirmed the incident which occurred on Sunday afternoon.
“I can confirm our office received a report of diarrhoea which affected 70 students at Morgenster Teachers’ College on Sunday at around 1pm. The students were rushed to Morgenster Mission Hospital, but I have not yet received full details of what actually could have been the cause of the diarrhoea,” he said. Dr Shamu said Masvingo District had sent a medical team to assess the situation to figure out the source of the problem. Sources at the college indicated that almost 78 percent of the students had diarrhoea after being served with stale chicken during lunch.
“We have a serious problem at our college as almost 78 percent of the students developed diarrhoea after being served with stale chicken at lunch on Sunday. The mission hospital could not cope with the overwhelming number of students admitted that nurses have resorted to visiting some in their hostels at the college,” said a source. Students were reportedly suffering from vomiting, while others suffered from running stomachs that they had to be put on drip to stop dehydration.
“Some ate beans that were not well cooked and met the same fate. The meals are generally poor and yet students are paying through their noses,” said the source. Another source said by yesterday, some students were still admitted at the hospital, while some were treated and discharged from the church-run hospital.
Online Reporter