Some 23 students of the Abutia Senior High School (ABUSCO) have suffered what medical officers say is food poisoning after they ate a rice meal on campus last Wednesday and Thursday. 

Mr Claude Dziseaku, Physician Assistant of the Mater Ecclesiae Hospital at Sokode, in the Ho Municipal told the Ghana News Agency that the students were rushed to the facility with abdominal pains, vomiting and diarrhoea on Friday night. 

He said the situation was chaotic as some of the students were paired on a bed due to the nature of the cases and the number of students involved. 

He said about 10 staff, who were off duty were marshalled to assist stem the situation and by 1500 hours on Saturday, nine of the students were discharged after their situation improved. 

He said the staff continue to work around the clock to stabilise the conditions of the rest and indicated that many are off danger and recuperating. 

Mr Dziseaku said food poisoning was suspected since all the cases expressed the same symptoms, adding that the Public Health Unit of the Hospital would take up the case for a thorough investigation.

Ms Sandra Eleesam, a final year student of the school, and a victim narrated that they ate fried rice from the canteen and later she and her colleagues started to experience severe stomach pains, vomiting and abdominal pains. 

Efforts by the GNA to get a confirmation or response from school authorities proved futile at the time of publication. 

A teacher, who wanted to remain anonymous, confirmed the incident, that some students were taken ill and sent to the hospital on Friday.