100 Mewat children taken ill after having anti-malaria drug

Sumedha Sharma

Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, September 16

Panic gripped Jaiwant village in Mewat today as more than 200 children were reportedly taken ill after a precautionary dose of chloroquine was administered to them in a local government school here.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) BK Rajaoura, however, claimed around 100 children were affected and were stable now. “The students reported of gastric irritation which is nothing to worry about. Three ambulances were stationed in the village to fetch children,” he said.

The CMO said the students were in the Community Health Centre. The medicine was given to nearly 400 students because of the increasing number of malaria cases in the village which stands at 16.

The children started vomiting and complained of stomach ache and giddiness. They were rushed to the Community Health Centre, Punhana.

The parents accused the health authorities of negligence, claiming doctors who had given the medicine fled when one or two children complained of being unwell. “Shouldn’t they seek parent’s permission before giving any medicine?” one of them said.

“I had gone to pick my daughter and I got to know that 400 students were unwell after they were given some precautionary medicine for malaria. When we reached home, she complained of diffused vision and giddiness. I took her to the CHC and was shocked to see all her schoolmates there,” said Mohammad Illiyas, whose daughter is in Class 6. Another parent Rameez Sheikh said he wanted strict action against doctors who gave the medicine and not responded to calls for ambulance.

Sarpanch Geeta Rani said, “To bring down the number of malaria cases, doctors gave an overdoze of four pills to each child and fled after that. They did not care to take precautions. When the disease has spread, they are taking panic measures that could have cost the life of 400 children.”