Several hospitalised after eating ‘poisonous’ cassava in Kibuku

Several people in Kibuku District have been hospitalised after consuming cassava suspected to be poisonous, prompting calls for an urgent investigation into the food being sold by mobile vendors.

Kibuku District Woman MP Sylvia Katooko Damba raised the alarm in Parliament, revealing that residents have been falling ill after eating cassava supplied by traders moving from village to village in trucks.

She said the suspected poisoning cases have continued for more than a month, with several patients admitted to Kibuku Health Centre IV.

“We have cassava being sold in Kibuku by place-to-place vendors on trucks that has caused a number of people to be hospitalised, and this has lasted over a month,” Damba told Parliament.

“Many people have been admitted at Kibuku Health Centre IV after eating this cassava that we think is poisonous, including referrals from lower health facilities,” she added.

The MP said health surveillance teams had already intervened and samples of the suspected cassava had been submitted to police for further examination.

However, she complained that investigations were progressing slowly despite the continued reports of illness.

“We ask that the Ministry of Health should dispatch a team to investigate,” she said.

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa directed the Ministry of Health to coordinate with the legislator and urgently send a team to Kibuku to investigate the suspected poisoning.

He also instructed the ministry to guide residents on the necessary precautions to prevent further cases.

Certain varieties of cassava can become dangerous when eaten without proper preparation.

The crop naturally contains substances known as cyanogenic glycosides, particularly linamarin, which can release poisonous hydrogen cyanide when cassava is damaged, chewed or digested.

Bitter cassava varieties generally contain higher concentrations of these compounds than sweet varieties, although both require appropriate preparation.

Eating cassava with excessive cyanide levels can cause acute poisoning, with symptoms including headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and difficulty breathing.

In severe cases, cyanide poisoning can cause seizures, loss of consciousness and death because the poison prevents body cells from using oxygen.

Health experts recommend peeling cassava and using appropriate processing methods, including soaking, fermenting, drying and thorough cooking, depending on the variety.

However, boiling alone may not adequately remove cyanide from highly toxic cassava varieties.

Cassava can also become unsafe through contamination during harvesting, transportation, storage or preparation.