Chronicle EditorWhinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporter
THE Ministry of Health and Child Care has launched investigations following the “mysterious deaths” of four pupils in incidences that have left three others battling an unknown ailment in Filabusi, Matabeleland South.
Two pupils were reported to have died at Mkwabene Primary School in Vokola area and two others were said to have died at Mkwabene Secondary School within the last month.
All the victims succumbed to an ailment whose symptoms include pain on the hands which spreads to the head, leading to nose bleeding and death within three days.
Matabeleland South Provincial Medical Director Dr Rudo Chikodzore said a medical team has been dispatched to the district to investigate.
“The District Medical Officer has started investigations on the ground, checking for the said outbreak. As of yesterday when investigations started, it was noted that there were no reports of such deaths at the hospital and we suspect villagers did not take the sick children to hospital,” she said.
“We are encouraging them to immediately bring the sick children to hospital for medical examination as there could be an outbreak due to food poisoning, contamination of some sort or other bacterial infections.”
Dr Chikodzore said a postmortem would be conducted on one of the bodies that is at Filabusi District Hospital mortuary.
Meanwhile, the Vokola community has invited churches and traditional healers to perform ceremonies at the two schools as they suspect witchcraft in the deaths.
During a meeting that was held on Monday, villagers also agreed to contribute money to enable the three children who are ill to be taken to hospital.
Churches will today hold a cleansing ceremony at the two schools.
A selected committee was tasked to find suitable traditional healers to come and perform rituals on dates to be announced.
Vokola area headman, Mr Lovemore Mafika, said the community suspects witchcraft as the rate of deaths was alarming.
He said their community does not believe the pupils succumbed to natural causes.
The headman said three other pupils are sick.
“We have agreed to hold cleansing ceremonies by both churches and traditional healers at the schools while the sick pupils get full medical examinations at bigger health institutions,” said Mr Mafika.
“Different churches will come to the schools and hold prayers while a committee hunts for traditional healers who will also do things their own way. People within the community hold different beliefs, hence the agreement to use both healers and churches”.
Insiza District Principal Administration Officer, Mr Zibusiso Ndlovu, said relevant departments had been engaged over the matter.
“Despite the suspected theories by the community, we have tasked relevant departments to investigate in the best way they can and then measures will be taken thereafter.
“We have encouraged villagers to engage medical practitioners. In brief, we are investigating the matter,” said Mr Maphosa.
— @winnie_masara
derick.khumalo