Rwanda: Experts Explain How Illicit Alcohol Causes Blindness, Organ Damage
[New Times] Experts say some users of illicit alcohol have developed long-term health problems, including loss of sight, kidney damage, memory loss and reduced ability to work.
Experts warn that illicit alcohol consumption can lead to severe health problems, including blindness, organ damage, and memory loss. Illicit alcohol refers to any beverage produced, smuggled, distributed, or sold outside a country's legal and regulated systems. These include homemade or adulterated drinks made under unsafe conditions, often with harmful substances like methanol, solvents, crushed bricks, soap, or other chemicals.
Methanol, a highly toxic substance, can cause severe complications such as vision loss, coma, and death, while ethanol, when consumed moderately, is safe for human consumption. Methanol and ethanol may look similar but have different chemical compositions, making them react differently in the body. When methanol enters the body, it gets converted into formaldehyde, a toxic chemical that can damage the brain, nervous system, and vital organs like the stomach, liver, and kidneys.
The buildup of acids in the bloodstream due to methanol can affect the central nervous system, leading to vision loss. Symptoms of methanol poisoning include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and in severe cases, blindness can occur between 24 and 48 hours after consumption. The severity depends on the amount consumed, with just 10 millilitres capable of causing blindness, while 30 millilitres can lead to death.
Early medical attention can help in treating those exposed to methanol, but prevention is crucial. It's advised to only consume approved and authorized alcoholic products, as homemade drinks are often not controlled in preparation and difficulty in determining their alcohol content.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
