Why doctors are alarmed by the rising acid violence – and what you need to do
An acid attack survivor.
What you need to know:
- Although an acid burn can cause significant damage to the body, the immediate impact is not always felt.
- Most people only feel a burning sensation at first, but the damage goes skin deep, and the reaction continues long after exposure.
Elizabeth Nasaka’s classmate joked about pouring acid on her and two other classmates during a chemistry practical lesson. Just seconds after he uttered those words, Elizabeth began to feel a burning sensation on her head and other parts of her body.
Soon, her friends were running around the school, screaming in pain. The classmate had actually poured acid on the three girls.
Elizabeth screamed and scratched her body uncontrollably before being taken to a nearby clinic.
It was around closing day, and she had been preparing to start her exams.“I couldn’t sit for that exam. I did not have any squabbles with the boy that poured acid on me. He said it, and we dismissed it, thinking it was a joke,” she tells Nation.
Now the 20-year-old is bedridden at Kenyatta National Hospital and is unsure when she will return to school despite being a candidate.
Her mother, Gladys Agiso, tells Nation that her daughter’s school asked her to settle the matter with the other parent, who has not been answering her calls.
“I am just a house help. I don’t know where to start,” she says.
About a week ago, the Nation reported another case of acid assault: Mercy Awuor from Kisumu, who was burned with acid on her way home. Mercy was lucky to receive some first aid after a neighbour poured water on her.
On social media, another gospel musician, Mary Claire, also reported an acid attack that scarred her face.
Dr Benjamin Wabwire, head of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Kenyatta National Hospital, tells Nation that such cases have been on the rise.
“We rarely had acid burns 10 years ago. The most we could get was one case in about two years. This year alone, we have had about three cases,” he says.
Dr Wabwire explains that although an acid burn can cause significant damage to the body, the immediate impact is not always felt. Most people only feel a burning sensation at first, but the damage goes skin deep, and the reaction continues long after exposure.
“You start seeing changes more than a day or even up to a week later. You begin to see your skin falling off.”
This often leads people to underestimate the severity of the injury at the time of exposure.
It is not just sulfuric acid; other types such as concentrated hydrochloric acid can also cause serious burns.
The impact of the acid depends on the area of skin affected. If the acid burns an area with thin skin, it may even expose the bones. If the area has a lot of fat, the damage may not be as severe. When the acid affects areas near joints and nerves, the victim may suffer deformities.
Dr Wabwire notes that there are instances where people swallow acid either by accident or force, which can lead to worse damage to internal organs and likely cause long-term effects.
“If the chemical is poured on someone’s eyes, that damage is permanent. It may never be reversed,” he says.
He adds that the frequent attacks are because people have learned to use acid as a form of violence. He advises people to remove themselves from any situation where they notice red flags.
“In case it happens, use water before getting to the hospital,” he advises.
Prof Zakayo Thaimuta, a toxicologist, explains that sulfuric acid is reactive and reacts with water. Our bodies are mostly made up of water; when acid sears through, it dries up the water components in the body, causing scars and deformities beneath the skin.
“The reaction becomes progressively exponential, and it continues to eat the flesh,” he explains.
He notes that sulfuric acid also reacts with carbon by turning it into ash. He adds that human flesh is made up of carbon, and when it comes into contact with this acid, the acid begins degrading the flesh.
Other people may inhale the acid, which can result in shortness of breath and tightness in the chest. Most of the time, the immediate reaction to inhalation is coughing.
He says one of the fatal conditions caused by inhalation is a buildup of water in the lungs, a condition medically known as pulmonary edema.
“People with this condition normally have up to 36 hours to live,” he says.
“Exposure to sulfuric acid can also cause cancer. It is known to be carcinogenic, and there are some studies that associate it with cancer of the lungs and the larynx,” he adds.
Prof Zakayo also says that for external exposure, a form of first aid is to introduce water because it dilutes the acid. When someone inhales or drinks the acid, water can also help dilute it.
“I would also recommend someone TO drink milk because it contains a protein called casein, which has benefits that help reduce the chemical effects,” says Prof Zakayo.
