Vitamin A controversy: Seven Haryana students hospitalised again

SIRSA - The controversy over nearly 100 girls taking ill in a Haryana town after being administered a Vitamin A dose in school raised its head again when seven of them had to be re-admitted to hospital.

The girls of Government Middle School, Kalanwali town here, were hospitalised for a second time Wednesday.

They were among nearly 100 girls who complained of stomach ache, vomiting and uneasiness Aug 27 after being given Vitamin A by the state health department which had administered the drops to 148 students. All the girls had been discharged from hospital Sunday.

But seven of the girls again complained of similar symptoms and were admitted to a civil hospital here.

“It seems to have happened because of an overdose of Vitamin A. There is another possibility that they might have come to school without taking their meal and had taken the medicine on an empty stomach,” O.P. Hooda, civil surgeon of Sirsa, told IANS Thursday.

“We are giving the best available treatment to the seven girls. They are recuperating well and we would soon discharge them,” stated Hooda.

Hooda said they have also sent samples of the medicine to a Delhi-based laboratory to ascertain its quality.

“If anything wrong is noticed in the medicine, then strict action will be taken against the guilty. In the meantime, we have suggested postponing the administration of the Vitamin A drug programme in the district,” said Hooda.