mbulelo smpofu
MUSHROOMS are a delicacy enjoyed by many families in Zimbabwe but some of the mushrooms are poisonous hence the country has over the years recorded deaths from mushroom poisoning.
In 2020, the country recorded nearly 20 deaths from mushroom poisoning and 11 of the victims were from the Midlands province. The latest victims of mushroom poisoning, Mrs Sinothando Gwayi and her granddaughter Primrose Ndlovu (13) from Mbembeswana area of Bubi District in Matabeleland North province, died between Saturday and Monday.
Mrs Gwayi, her daughter Sanelisiwe Ndlovu (14) and two grandchildren — Primrose (13) and Precious (3) ate poisonous mushrooms last week. The four were rushed to Mbembeswana Clinic and later transferred to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo.
Primrose died on Saturday while Mrs Gwayi died on Monday.
Following the good rains this season, wild mushrooms are in abundance in many areas and the delicacy is being sold in cities and towns as well as by the roadside along major highways.
Enterprising individuals are harvesting the mushrooms in the bush and selling it directly to consumers or taking the mushrooms to markets in urban areas.
Many cities and towns are now awash with the delicacy used as relish in many homes. What is however disturbing is that some of the mushrooms are poisonous and therefore, claiming people’s lives.
In the past, the harvesting of mushrooms was done by elderly women who took their time to meticulously sift through each harvest to remove the poisonous mushrooms before cooking hence cases of mushroom poisoning were very few.
The increasing cases of mushroom poisoning is a confirmation that those harvesting mushrooms nowadays cannot identify poisonous mushrooms and as such are putting the lives of consumers at risk.
It is therefore important for those that enjoy mushrooms to ensure that they eat only those mushrooms harvested by experienced persons they know. Buying wild mushrooms at the market or those mushrooms sold by the roadside should therefore be avoided as doing so is putting lives at risk of mushroom poisoning.
Health experts are encouraging those that enjoy mushrooms to eat mushrooms grown by farmers as opposed to wild mushrooms that can be poisonous. It is however, a fact that many people, especially in rural areas, are taking advantage of the abundant wild mushrooms hence the need to engage experienced persons in mushroom harvesting.
We want to once again urge members of the public to avoid putting their lives at risk of mushroom poisoning this season.
