177 school students hospitalized after taking iron tablets

OST Bureau Puri, Sep 24: As many as 177 students of a government school in Brahmagiri area have been admitted to the district hospital here after falling ill on consuming iron tablets provided by local health authorities. Students of Gopinathpur UGME School in Jadupur locality of Brahmagiri felt dizzy and started vomiting after consuming vitamin tablets containing iron and medication meant for prevention of worm infection before having their midday meals in the school. The medicines were supplied by Block Extension Educator (BEE) of Chilika-Nuapada Community Health Centre. Initially, the affected students were treated at Rebana-Nuagaon hospital but they had to be later rushed to district headquarters hospital as their condition worsened. Puri collector Naba Kishore Nayak, additional collector and the chief district medical officer (CDMO) reached the hospital and supervised the treatment of the sick students. Brahmagiri BJD MLA Sanjay Dash Burma, who visited the hospital and enquired about the health of the students, said action will be taken against those found guilty after a high level probe. Former Brahmagiri MLA and senior Congress leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, who also visited the ailing students, demanded a thorough probe into the incident. He said the person administering the medicine should have known that these medicines should not be taken in empty stomach. Expressing concern over the incident, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ordered the district collector to conduct a probe.