25 Pupils Hospitalised After Eating Contaminated White Ants at Luuka School

What the report says

Twenty-five pupils at Buwanda Primary School in Nawampiti, Luuka District, were hospitalised after eating white ants that authorities said were reportedly contaminated with poison. The incident, reported by Nile Post, happened on Thursday and caused alarm at the school before the children were taken to Kiyunga Health Centre IV for treatment.

Luuka Resident District Commissioner Michael Kibwika said the pupils were receiving care and being closely monitored. He said preliminary information suggested that one pupil brought the white ants to school, shared them with classmates, and then disappeared. Police have since opened a search for the pupil while they investigate how the insects were contaminated and how they were distributed.

Health and education officials were deployed to assist the school and the affected families. School leaders and parents were urged to remain calm as the inquiry continues. The report highlights broader concerns about food brought onto school grounds and the need for closer supervision of what pupils share with one another.

More generally, food contamination incidents in school settings often prompt joint response from police, health workers, and education authorities to determine the source and prevent similar cases. In this instance, officials have not yet released a final determination on what happened or who may be responsible.