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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
TWENTY four Grade One pupils from St Joseph’s Primary School in Beitbridge were yesterday rushed to hospital for treatment after eating poisonous jatropha seeds during break time. Jatropha produces seeds with an oil content of 37 percent that can be combusted and used as fuel without being refined.

A teacher at the school who requested anonymity said one of the pupils at the Roman Catholic-run school enticed his classmate into eating the pods, which he said were a delicacy from his rural home.

The pupils are aged between six and seven years.
“The issue came to light when all the 24 pupils started vomiting while others had continuous diarrhoea. The teacher then alerted the school head.

“We then rushed them to the hospital and advised their parents about the incident immediately,” said the teacher.
Matabeleland South Provincial Medical Director Dr William Busumani confirmed the incident and said the pupils were in stable condition.

“We have rehydrated them and the situation is under control. We are giving them a lot of fluids. Generally the seeds induce diarrhoea and vomiting if ingested by human beings,” said Dr Busumani.

“In most cases people die out of dehydration, but in this case all the patients are out of danger.”
Dr Busumani said they will continue monitoring the situation.

He said although the plant was harmful the effects were not very adverse.
Matabeleland South provincial education director Thumisang Thabela said the matter was under investigations.

“We have a team on the ground conducting investigations. We will come back to you soon,” she said.
The chairman of the District Civil Protection Unit Simon Muleya said they were yet to be briefed by the school authorities on the situation.

When the news crew visited the hospital last night parents of affected children had swarmed the institution and were seen around the hospital enquiring about their children.

The paediatric wards and hospital kitchen were without water with officials at the hospital saying the taps ran dry four weeks ago.
“I only got to know about the incident when I had gone to collect my child from school during lunch time. I was told he had been taken to hospital after eating a harmful plant.

“He is in a stable condition and I hope the situation will improve soon,” said Kenneth Mucheka.
Parents called on the school authorities to consider removing all harmful plants at the premises to avoid loss of lives.
Experts say jatropha is a handy plant, which can be grown in wastelands.