23 Mar 2017 | 08:05pm IST
16 Betim students fall sick on eating midday meal
PORVORIM: Sixteen students from Government Primary School at Alto-Betim fell ill on Wednesday due to suspected food poisoning after consuming the midday meal.
PORVORIM: Sixteen students from Government Primary School at Alto-Betim fell ill on Wednesday due to suspected food poisoning after consuming the midday meal.
While five of the students had to be admitted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), the rest were allowed to go home after being treated at the Primary Health Centre (PMC) in Porvorim. When contacted GMC officials said the condition of the five students was stable.
A preliminary inquiry by the Education Department found that the food served was stale. The job of serving the mid-day meal was assigned to a non-governmental organisation, Gayatari Self Help Group.
Primary Health Centre, Medical Officer, Dr Roshan Nazareth said, “We got a call at 12 that students were feeling giddy and having pain in the abdomen. We came with our medical team and observed that of the 16 students some 11 required treatment and we observed them till 2.30 pm but till then there were some that still had the pain so we referred five students to GMC.”
Sources said students started vomiting soon after consuming the midday meal at around 11 am.
“Students said that they found small sticks and showed it to me, so I immediately reported it the Self Help Group which prepares the meals. After this two ladies from the self help group came and they too were surprised to know that there were sticks. Soon after this students started complaining of vomiting and teachers accordingly sent them to the toilets. The situation soon became worse and I realised that it would be better to call the doctor. The doctors started observing them but by then some started feeling better while others continued to be uncomfortable till 1.30 pm,” said Anjali Malik, Headmistress, Government Primary School.
She added that parents also assembled in the school and that the students had been served grains bhaji in the morning.
Meanwhile, Education Director Gajanan Bhat said the department has initiated an inquiry into the incident. “We have suspended the midday meal contract with Gayatri SHG and if found guilty the contract will be terminated. Besides this school the same SHG was supplying to the Chopdekar HS and they also have found some cases related to stale food,” Bhat said.
Meanwhile, FDA has collected samples of the food for testing reports of which will be out soon. “The tests shall be conducted on these samples as well as the food found in the plates of which students ate,” FDA officials said.
