Food poisoning: 32 students hospitalised

VIJAYAWADA: Thirty two students, in the 8-14 years age group, from a government school at Jammichettu centre in the city were hospitalised on Monday reportedly after consuming mid-day meal in their school.
According to information, they were rushed to the local government hospital immediately after they complained of vomiting and giddiness after having been served with the suspected adulterated food by the school authorities.The hospital authorities said all the victims were out of danger and discharged from the hospital after receiving preliminary treatment. Food samples were collected from the school and sent for lab analysis.
Dr Vital Rao, professor, Department of Paediatrics, who treated the children said, it was a case of `mild' food poisoning and all the school children complained of vomiting and some even complained of lower abdominal pain. All the students were given medicine and sent home after a casual check-up. One of the victims was administered IV fluids in view of dehydration caused by dysentery.
All the students were given proper medication. "A probe will be initiated on the issue and mid-day meal workers, if found guilty, will be punished,” Chief Medical Officer of Health M. Gopi Naik told TOI. The parents of the students were a worried lot and turned their ire against the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) authorities for their alleged supervisory lapses leading to food poisoning.