Hyderabad, September 3: A tragic incident occurred in the Gollaguppa village of Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram district, where a 7-year-old girl died after consuming chloroquine tablets distributed as a preventive measure against malaria. Over 50 others have been hospitalized following the incident.
The tablets were administered to 71 students at a primary school around 3:30 PM on September 2, after several malaria cases were reported in the village. According to Tulsi Das, the Assistant Tribal Welfare Officer of Chintur, the medication was provided as a precautionary measure due to at least six confirmed malaria cases in the area.
After returning home, many students began to show symptoms such as vomiting. Due to the remote location of the school, parents transported the children to the nearest junction using tractors and motorcycles, from where they were taken to the Lakshmipuram Primary Health Centre (PHC) and later to a hospital in Bhadrachalam, Telangana.
The deceased, identified as Madivi Jamuna, was a second-grade student from the Koya tribal community. She lost consciousness after taking the tablets, which was attributed to low blood sugar, and unfortunately, she passed away during treatment. The exact cause of her death is still under investigation.
Reports indicate that a total of 53 individuals fell ill after consuming the tablets, including 47 children. Among them, 29 were admitted to a hospital in Telangana, while 24 were treated at the local health center. District Collector Dinesh Kumar stated that treatment is ongoing and that the patients’ conditions are stable, urging the public not to panic.
The chloroquine tablets have been sent to a forensic lab in Visakhapatnam for quality control testing, although initial tests have shown satisfactory results. Meanwhile, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has ordered an inquiry into the incident and directed medical teams, including three pediatric specialists, to monitor the situation closely.
This incident raises serious questions regarding the administration of medication, as government guidelines stipulate that dosages should be tailored to each individual’s weight, especially for children. The mass distribution of tablets to 71 individuals, resulting in the death of a young girl, prompts concerns about adherence to these dosage regulations.
An investigation is currently underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding this tragic event.