Five individuals have perished in Blantyre, Malawi‘s southern city, while two others are currently under medical care for suspected alcohol poisoning.
Nine men were swiftly transported to the city’s primary referral hospital on Friday evening after consuming homemade alcohol.
A statement issued by the Director of Health and Social Services for the Blantyre District Council, Gift Kawalazira, verified the demise of five men and indicated that two others were receiving medical attention at the hospital.
Malawi has grappled with the proliferation of illicitly produced and inexpensive alcohol, predominantly consumed by unemployed young men and some minors.
Despite past efforts to prohibit various forms of cheap alcohol, authorities have struggled to completely eradicate them from the market.
In response to the weekend fatalities, law enforcement announced an initiative to track down producers and vendors of the local brew, which goes by different names including “take me, Lord”, “stagger”, and “monkey killer”.
As of Sunday evening, no arrests had been made.