KUTOKA UDOSINI: Schoolchildren fall sick after consuming 'sub standard' iron pills

At least 30 students of Government Senior Secondary School, Gate Hakiman, were taken ill on Friday after they were administered iron tablets, supplied by the health department, on school campus. The children complained of severe stomach ache and drowsiness immediately after consuming the pills. It is learnt that the pills were of sub-standard quality and had passed their expiry date.

Parents of the students, mostly from the poor section of the society, rushed to the school on receiving the information. In absence of quick medical aid, the parents took their children to hospitals in their own.
They were admitted to the local civil hospital and discharged by the evening, said Civil Surgeon Chandanjit Singh Kundal.
The tablets were supplied to the school for distribution under the government's programme for better health of poor children. Kundal admitted that the health department had supplied the medicines to the schools. "The students after consuming the tablets developed illness but all are well now," he said.
Regarding the low quality and dates of consumption having expired, he said the samples had been taken and the same would be tested for the quality. "There is no need for a full-fledged inquiry as of now. We have taken the samples and they are being sent for tests," said Kundal.
The parents blamed both the health department and the school authorities for negligence. Sita Devi, whose daughter was taken ill, said they had to rush from one hospital to another in absence of any information.
DC Kahan Signh Pannu said they will probe the matter.
The authorities, meanwhile, said no action was being initiated against the school authorities. "We just handed over the pills to the children as directed by the health officials," said a teacher adding that they should not be blamed for the negligence as they immediately provided medical aid to the students.
Yahoo News.