Family of six bedridden after eating suspected poisonous mushrooms
One of the poisonous mushrooms. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
After preparing the mushrooms and eating them with millet bread, the entire family began to develop complications
A family of six people was rushed to Budaka Health Centre IV in severe condition yesterday after eating suspected poisonous mushrooms.
The residents are from Namatale Village, Kasuleta Parish, Kakule Sub-county in Budaka District.
It is alleged that Ms Basi Namukenye, 37, and wife to Mr Senya Kuluseni, picked the mushrooms and bought them at home after heavy rain.
The family prepared the mushrooms for lunch, but they developed severe stomach complications [diarrhea] and vomiting.
The chairperson of Kakule Sub-county, Mr Frank Basima, told Daily Monitor that the family members were rushed to the health centre under severe conditions.
“We got information that the entire family had eaten poisonous mushrooms and experienced stomach complications [diarrhea] and vomiting. Mr Basima said the neighbor immediately looked for boda boda riders and rushed them to Budaka Health Center IV for treatment.
“The five members were found by neighbours yelling in total pain and complaining of stomach complications and talking uncoordinated words,” he added.
After preparing the mushrooms and eating them with millet bread, the entire family began to develop complications.
The chairperson of Namatale Village, Mr John Galembele, said: “It is by God’s grace that the family has started responding to treatment. The situation worsened at 2.00 pm until they were all taken to Budaka Health Centre IV.”
The affected family members include; Gerald Kandyo, 14, a student at Kakule Seed Secondary School, Girenda Wenene, 12, a pupil at Cornerstone Primary School, Mutwahilu Mutebe, 5, a pupil at Kakule Jolly Primary School, Siraji Tenwa, 7, Jibu Kawunye, and Ms Namukenye.
Mr Emmanuel Kiwanuka, one of the neighbours of the affected family, told Daily Monitor that it was a bee-hive of activities once they heard about the incident.
“We did everything we could to rush our people to a hospital as soon as possible but by the time we got there, they were unconscious,” he said.
After heavy rains, across the entire country, mushrooms are now plentiful. Local leaders warn people not to eat species randomly picked from the bush.
Health workers at the facility told the Daily Monitor that the family is now in better condition and will soon be discharged.
Budaka Health Centre officer-in-charge, Dr Winnie Mutaki, could not be reached by the press yesterday.
