SPLA officer, private die in Wau foodborne outbreak

[Elisabeth Janaina]

SPLA officer, private die in Wau foodborne outbreak

Obaj Shago | August 5, 2017 | 12:09 pmAn aerial view of Wau town. PHOTO// Nichola Mandil/Eye Radio

A suspected foodborne outbreak involving 60 soldiers has killed a commander and a private in Wau, the Deputy SPLA Spokesperson has said.Col Mathok Akech, the acting commander for operations at SPLA Division Five, and the private identified as William A, died upon reaching the military hospital in the area.

Col Santo Domic says the incident occurred shortly after the officers, about 60, ate food at a local hotel at Grinty area.He says the officers got poisoned while they were undergoing training on human rights, organized by the UN Mission in South Sudan.

Domic says UNMISS contracted Sunrise Hotel to accommodate the officers during the 3-day training workshop.“Unfortunately on the closing day, the food was found to be contaminated after all those who ate the food began to experience stomach problems – diarrhea,” Col Domic.“Now what’s important here is that UNMISS or any other humanitarian organization in the area is not involved in any capacity because this is just food poisoning.”

The alleged food poisoning outbreak occurred on Thursday, August 3, the last day of the workshop.Col. Domic also says a medical doctor at the Wau Teaching Hospital confirmed the deaths were as a result of food poisoning.However, the kind of poison is yet to be revealed.He also says the rest of the officers have been hospitalized with the condition at hospitals in the town.

Domic did not accuse anyone, but suspected some Sunrise Hotel workers. He added that there are ongoing investigations into the circumstances of the poison.“What needs to be found out is whether there is anybody that might have attempted to poison the food or was it only normal food poisoning,” he added.