Patna, August 19: Over two dozen children fell ill after consuming a mid-day meal at Parsi Middle School in the Noor Sarai police station area on Tuesday. Panic ensued when the children began to complain of vomiting and dizziness shortly after eating. It was later discovered that the cook had accidentally mixed detergent powder into the food.
All affected children were taken to Bihar Sharif Sadar Hospital for treatment. Civil Surgeon Dr. Jayprakash Singh visited the hospital to check on the children and confirmed that they were all out of danger.
According to the school principal, Shailendra Kumar Singh, the mid-day meal served on Tuesday included rice and a soybean dish. After complaints about insufficient salt, the cook mistakenly added detergent instead.
Reports indicate that both salt and detergent were stored in the same area of the kitchen. Shortly after the meal, the children began experiencing symptoms. Initial first aid was attempted at the school, but when their conditions did not improve, they were sent to the Sadar Hospital.
As a large number of children arrived at the hospital, their families also gathered there. Relatives expressed dissatisfaction with the hospital’s arrangements, claiming that two to three girls were being treated on the same bed. This led to a brief uproar, which calmed down only after the Civil Surgeon assured better medical care.
This incident has raised serious questions about the emergency preparedness of the health department. Families alleged that despite notifying the Noor Sarai hospital, no ambulance or medical team was dispatched to the school.
Due to the lack of an ambulance, families had to transport the children to the Sadar Hospital using e-rickshaws and tempos. They argued that timely assistance from the local hospital could have provided immediate medical help to the children.
Concerns are now mounting regarding the oversight of the mid-day meal scheme in Bihar and the local health system’s emergency response capabilities.
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