Lust for alcohol turns tragic as student dies after drinking lab chemical in Samburu
A Form Four student at Longewean Secondary School died on September 6, 2016 while another is fighting for her life at Samburu Referral Hospital after they consumed a laboratory chemical they mistook for alcohol. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The two were among a group of eight Form Four students of Longewean Secondary School who mistook methanol for a liquor. Six of them were treated and discharged after being rushed to Suguta Health Centre.
- According to Samburu Central Sub-County OCPD Abaggarro Guyo, some of the students had taken the liquid in its pure form while the rest mixed it with soda.
Lust for alcohol turned tragic on Monday at a school in Samburu County after a student consumed a laboratory chemical and died later in a hospital.
Another student, a KCSE candidate, is fighting for her life at Samburu Referral Hospital after consuming the same chemical.
The two were among a group of eight Form Four students from Longewean Secondary School who mistook methanol for a liquor. Six of them were treated and discharged after being rushed to Suguta Health Centre.
The students — five boys and three girls — stole the chemical from the school’s laboratory and shared it with others in the evening.
According to Samburu Central Sub-County OCPD Abaggarro Guyo, some of the students had taken the liquid in its pure form while the rest mixed it with soda.
Rajab Saddam, a doctor at Samburu County Referral Hospital in Maralal town, confirmed that a 17-year-old girl was admitted to the hospital after she suffered severe abdominal pains.
Dr Saddam said medical staff were trying all they could to save her life.
"We are attending to her and monitoring her condition," he said.
He explained that the remedy to methanol poisoning is for the patient to be treated with pure vodka.
Dr Saddam said the strong alcoholic drink was urgently needed to unbind the methanol from the girl’s system to save her eyes, liver and kidney from failing.
The victim had not been able to speak since her admission to the hospital.
The body of the deceased student was taken to the Samburu County Referral Hospital mortuary.
Police are investigating the matter.
