Eight students taken ill after consuming iron supplements

Eight students, including seven girls, of a Delhi Government-run school in North West Delhi fell ill after allegedly being given folic acid and iron supplements under a newly launched government scheme.

 

The incident comes close on the heels of mid-day meal tragedies in two Bihar schools and the death of a child after taking Vitamin A tablets at an anganwadi centre in that state.

 

The girls of the Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in Bharatpur locality in Ashok Vihar area were rushed to Sundarlal Jain Hospital yesterday after the fell sick. They were discharged this morning.

 

"Eight students in the age group of 10-12 years were brought to the hospital yesterday by the local police. They all had the common complaint of abdomen pain and vomiting. They said they were given iron tablets in their school," Medical Superintendent of Sundarlal Jain Hospital Subhash Aggarwal said.

 

He said the following treatment, students were discharged early this morning.

 

"We carried out stomach wash of the students besides normal medical treatment," Aggarwal said.

 

"We are examining why the eight students in Bharatpur fell ill," they said.

 

When asked about the incident, Delhi's Health Minister A K Walia refused to comment.

 

The scheme to provide iron and folic acid tablets was kicked off yesterday to improve the health of students studying in schools.

 

Under the programme all adolescent children in 6 to 12th standard at government and government aided schools will be given iron and folic acid tablets once a week.

 

DCP North West P Karunakaran said the students complained that they fell ill after taking the tablets given in the school.

 

"An investigation into the case is on," he said.

 

The incident comes a day after one child died and 21 other children fell ill after taking vitamin A tablets given to them at an anganwadi centre in Bihar's Gaya district.

 

22 children have also died due to eating contaminated mid-day meal in two Bihar schools.