School girl dies, 161 hospitalised after taking tablets under Central scheme

A 12-year-old girl student of a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) school died and 161 other students took ill following a medical dose administered at the school, officials said on Friday.

The girl, identified as Chandni Mohammed Shaikh, was a resident of Govandi suburb in eastern Mumbai and studying in Class VI at the Sanjay Nagar BMC School No. 2, said officials of the BMC Disaster Control.

As soon as news of her death spread, there was panic in Bainganwadi area, and the other 161 students, who complained of stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, were rushed to various hospitals.

In her report, BMC Executive Health Officer Padmaja Keskar said Chandni was administered the tablets as part of a Central government health programme.

"She was given the tablets on August 6. She remained absent the next day, but was present on August 8-9. On Friday morning, she vomited and then died," Keskar said in her report.

Of the students rushed to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar and Shatabdi Hospital at Govandi, around 35 are still under observation, while the rest were treated and discharged.

Chandni's grieving parents have charged that the BMC authorities are responsible for their daughter's death.

"These tablets were not good. Every year, the school takes our consent before giving any drugs or injections. But this time it was not done," claimed the father, Shahid Ali Shaikh.

He said that after being administered the doses, she complained of pain in the chest and stomach.

"Initially, the doctors said it was cough and took an X-ray. Later she started vomiting and died. Now, my son is also showing similar symptoms and has been hospitalized," Shaikh said.

The BMC said the girl's body has been sent for an autopsy and the exact cause of her death, including whether she had any previous illness, would be determined only after that.

Several anxious parents said that many of the school children had been vomiting and complaining of headache, upset stomach and giddiness. They were taken to a hospital.

Keskar added that under the Central scheme, children all over the country are administered iron, folic acid and de-worming tablets, but there has been no untoward incident reported from anywhere.

Moving swiftly, the civic body has banned the Iron Folic Acid Tablets of Hindustan Labs, and Albendazole Tablets of Zimbabwe Labs, used in BMC schools with immediate effect, said Avinash Supe, BMC Director of Medical Health and Major Hospitals said late Friday.

--IANS

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