Another mid-day meal fiasco
6 Vasco students hospitalised
HERALD REPORTER
VASCO, AUG 10
Barely two days after 18 students fell ill after consuming a contaminated mid-day meal at Yuvak Sangh High School, Headland Sada, six more students of Government Primary School, Gandhi Nagar, Vasco, fell ill and were rushed to a hospital on Monday, after consuming contaminated mid-day meal in the school.
The three boys and three girls from STDs III and IV, complained of stomachache in the school and were rushed to Chicalim Cottage Hospital, where they were kept under observation. They were later discharged in the evening.
According to the residents of Gandhi Nagar, initially two students had complained of vomiting and stomachache and were rushed to a hospital by one of the school teacher on his motorcycle.
However, at about 1.30 pm after the school finished for the day, four more students complained of stomachache, who were shifted to Chicalim Cottage Hospital.
Incidentally, the four students, who complained of stomachache nearly after two and half hours, are residing in the vicinity of the school.
When contacted, doctors at the hospital refused to comment on the incident, but informed that the students were normal.
The doctors further informed that in order to avoid any risk, the students were kept under observation for a few hours, as they did not find any immediate symptoms of food poisoning.
A school teacher said that two students complained of stomachache, immediately after consuming the mid-day meal, which was supplied by one self-help group from Vasco.
The teacher further informed that he had tasted the pulav before it was served to about 40 students of STDs III and IV but did not feel that the food was contaminated.
Officials of Food and Drugs Control, who were in the Port Town rushed to the hospital and recorded statements of the students.
Meanwhile, officials from Director of Education along the Assistant District Education Inspector inspected the meal supplied to different schools by the self-help group.
It may be recalled that on August 8, 18 students aged between 10-13 from Yuvak Sangh High School, Headland Sada complained of stomachache after consuming contaminated mid-day meal in the school and had to be rushed to the Chicalim Cottage Hospital.
