The Headmaster of Oti Boateng Senior High School (SHS) in the Eastern Region, has banned the sale of cabbage meals on campus after 11 students suffered from suspected food poisoning.

John Hawkson Arthur told Joy News’ Kofi Siaw he suspects the chemicals used in growing the cabbage may have affected the students.  

“I am not an expert on this but we are waiting for the experts to investigate and advise. In the interim, no one should sell cabbage on the campus...if we get information that the food poisoning is from other sources, we will block those sources as well,” he said.

The students reportedly bought rice and beans meal, popularly called ‘waakye’ from a food vendor, after which they experienced some complications.

Related: Alleged food poisoning hits Oti Boateng SHS; dozens hospitalised

However, the Joy News is reliably informed that when the district health officials met the headmaster, the municipal disease control officer disclosed that they interviewed some affected students who claimed they ate from the school’s kitchen.

Six of the 11 students who were sent to the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua have been treated and discharged, with five still on admission.

Mr Arthur has assured parents that the situation is now under control and there is no need to panic.

Meanwhile, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have launched investigations into the matter.

According to GHS, they have picked samples from the school and will send it to their labs to look into the issue.