Friday April 4, 2025
Burco (HOL) – Twenty-one members of the same family in Somaliland's Saaxil region were poisoned after consuming meat from a camel they slaughtered on Eid al-Fitr day, local health officials confirmed.
The incident occurred in Himin village when the family slaughtered a camel that had fallen ill. According to Dr. Ismail Hussein Abdullahi, the Director of the Ministry of Health in Sheikh District, the family had administered medication to the sick animal but, seeing no improvement, decided to slaughter it — a traditional practice in rural Somali communities.
"This incident happened to this family when their camel fell ill and they gave it medicine. When they saw that its condition was not improving, they, as is Somali tradition, slaughtered the animal to eat its meat," Dr. Abdillaahi told the BBC.
Health officials believe the improper administration of the medication caused the poisoning. The drug may have been injected into the wrong vein, leading to toxins settling in the camel's liver — a delicacy often consumed first during feasts.
"The condition of those who ate the liver was especially poor," Dr. Abdillaahi said.
Nur Farah Bulaale, one of the affected family members, confirmed that eight people, including his parents and sister, remain hospitalized in Burco while the rest are recovering.
"Most are getting better, but the illness weakened us with severe vomiting and diarrhea," he added.
This is not the first time meat poisoning has occurred in the region. In 2008, a similar case resulted in more than 60 people falling ill, with one woman reportedly dying from the contamination.
Health authorities have urged the public to seek veterinary advice before slaughtering sick animals and to avoid consuming the meat of animals recently treated with medication.