Fourteen female workers from the No. 2 weeding gang of the Albion Sugar Estate had to be treated at the Port Mourant Hospital on Wednesday after they were apparently affected by a drug that was sprayed two days before.
A worker told Stabroek News that they commenced working at 7 am and around 11 “when the sun started to get hot” they began to smell the drug and immediately felt sick. Two of them started to vomit.
They were unable to continue working and walked out on the dam and waited until the estate truck arrived at 12:30 pm to pick up another set of workers and they joined it.
The workers went first to the dispensary at the estate and were subsequently referred to the Port Mourant Hospital where they were treated and sent away.
Two of the women who suffered most were admitted to the hospital and had to be given saline.
Workers were concerned that they were not informed that the field was sprayed and said they should not have been around the area. The worker who spoke to Stabroek News on condition of anonymity said they worked at a differed location on Monday and Tuesday.
She said when they started to feel sick it was then they realized that the field was sprayed. Her skin was scratching and she felt nauseous.
The workers who were all sent on emergency leave returned to the hospital for treatment yesterday.
Stabroek News was unable to get a comment from an official at the Albion Estate.
