Arua residents fall sick after eating grasshoppers

In Summary

Several people in Arua District developed stomach ache and skin irritation after they ate grasshoppers reportedly trapped using dangerous chemicals.

The United Nations recently urged people to eat more insects, saying they are high in protein and mineral content, however, several Arua residents got more than they bargained for when they ate grasshoppers bought from a local market.

Residents developed abdominal pain, skin irritation and started vomiting after eating the grasshoppers. Some of the victims are receiving treatment at Arua Regional Referral Hospital.

According to the Arua municipal health team, the grasshoppers might have been trapped using a dangerous chemical.

The matter was reported to the police, who have began investigations into the matter.

Ms Betty Ndedraru, 36, a resident, said her children started vomiting and complaining of stomach ache in the middle of the night after eating the grasshoppers.
She added that her whole family developed diarrhoea and body irritation.

The police have arrested three suspects in Tanganyika Cell, Arua Municipality.

The municipal health officer, Dr Paul Onzubo, said: “We suspect that dangerous chemicals were used because those who consumed it and are complaining are many. So people should be careful while buying food items.”

Samples of the grasshopper and the material used have been sent to the government chemists to establish and confirm whether there was adulteration.

The Arua police spokesperson, Ms Josephine Angucia, said if the results test positive for adulteration, the suspects would be charged with selling adulterated food.

One of the victims, Mr Rashid Basham, who works with the grasshopper sellers, said his bosses use chemical to trap the insects, adding that the chemicals are rubbed on the iron sheets and floors to immobilise insects.