Gaspard Karekezi, a resident of Bweramana Sector, Ruhango District, is now blind after consuming illicit alcohol that he says also claimed the lives of his wife and two friends.
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He recounts that it all began in February with a drink brought home after his wife, Annonciatha Mukantaganda, visited a family friend. The friend had made the brew, which Karekezi says looked like a gin. They drank it together before his wife took some home and shared it with him.
They drank the beverage on Saturday night, but by Sunday, his wife's health had started deteriorating.
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"She started saying that she was feeling very weak, had stomach pain and was seeing someone's head in many copies," he recalls.
Around midnight on Sunday, she died. At that time, Karekezi was feeling okay, but when they went for the burial on Monday, his health also began to deteriorate, with almost the same symptoms his wife had experienced before her death.
"I initially thought it was simply grief over my wife's death, but that was not the case," he says.
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As his condition worsened, he was referred to the University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB).
While at the hospital, he received more disturbing news: the family friends who had given his wife the alcohol had also died.
"At that time, I realised that the reason behind all this was the alcohol we had drunk because both families had consumed it," he said.
When he arrived at the hospital, Karekezi told medics what he had consumed and described his symptoms. They suspected that his kidneys had been affected. Tests confirmed that he had kidney problems, and he was given an urgent surgery that saved his life.
However, after the illness, he lost his sight. He says doctors told him that the optic nerves connecting the eyes to the brain had been affected.
What CHUB medics say
Dr Christian Ngarambe, the Acting Director General of the University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB), says he suspects that such issues occur when alcohol is mixed with dangerous substances, particularly methanol.
He pointed out that traditionally made beer, including banana and pineapple beer, has long been consumed in Rwanda without causing such problems.
"When methanol enters the body, it can damage the liver and the optic nerve. Once it reaches these parts of the body, it can become difficult for the body to get rid of it," Ngarambe said.
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He noted that symptoms caused by methanol poisoning can sometimes be mistaken for a normal hangover, causing some people to delay seeking medical attention.
"Sometimes the symptoms can be confused with a normal hangover. This can cause someone to reach the hospital when the situation has already become severe, making it difficult to recover, especially when the eyes have been affected," he said.
Ngarambe said health workers can treat methanol poisoning, but damage to some body organs can be permanent.
Can the blindness be reversed?
Ngarambe said CHUB has not recorded a case of a patient who became blind as a result of illicit alcohol consumption and later recovered their sight following treatment.
"So far, we have not had a patient who became blind due to illicit alcohol and then recovered after treatment," he said.
He urged people to avoid illicit alcohol, saying prevention remains the best way to protect against the effects of methanol poisoning.
Dr John Nkurikiye, an ophthalmologist, said consuming illicit alcohol can cause serious damage to the eyes, particularly when treatment is not sought quickly.
Valens Habarurema, the Mayor of Ruhango District, also confirmed the cases linked to illicit alcohol, including the deaths of three people and Karekezi's blindness.
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He said the other three people were Karekezi's wife and two family friends, identified as Samuel Munyambibi and Immaculee Nyiramahirwe, who provided the alcohol.
The Minister of Health, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, said in a previous statement that 44 people had died this year after consuming unsafe alcoholic beverages, while others had suffered blindness, severe illness or long-term health complications.
Struggling to provide for children
Karekezi, who has five children, says he has found himself living in difficult conditions.
"My children are out of school. I was a technician and had no problem providing for my family. Now, I wait for neighbours to bring me something to eat or for people to send me some money by phone," he says.
Despite losing his sight, Karekezi says he sometimes notices what appears to be a shadow passing when there is enough light.
The mayor said Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) officials visited the area and launched an investigation, but they have yet to inform the district about their findings.
