A Form 4 student at Kaputir Mixed Secondary School, Turkana County, died while his five colleagues suffered blindness after allegedly consuming hand sanitizer.
The students are said to have consumed the hand sanitizer on Tuesday, February 16, inside their science laboratory.
Reports indicated that 11 students from the school complained of stomach pains, and had to be taken to the hospital. The students are aged between 16 and 17.
The parents at Kaputir Secondary School expressed their disappointment and demanded that the principal resigns, and the Board of Management sent home.
The school principal refused to speak on the matter.
Speaking to K24, one of the survivors who aspires to be a medical doctor regretted his actions, stating that his dream may have been shattered by his ‘stupidity’.
Another one termed himself lucky since he had drunk from a cup that had a mixture of the hand sanitizer and water.
"I am, however, feeling some pain in the throat and stomach,” he said.
The body of the deceased student was taken to a morgue in Turkana, with the burial set for next week.
This comes at a time when the Ministry of Education, through Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha banned the use of hand sanitizers in schools on January 20. This cautionary measure was taken to prevent students from consuming the sanitizers.
“I want to tell teachers that they must not allow small-bottle sanitizers into schools. If any child has portable sanitizer, it should be taken and kept and given when the child is leaving school,” said Magoha.
In November 16, 2020, a Form 4 student at Lureko Secondary school succumbed to Covid-19, after developing complications while at home.
