DOZENS OF STUDENTS FELL ILL AFTER TAKING MDM

Ara, 11 March 2023, (RNI): Dozens of girl students of Primary Girls School at Ward No. 10, Koelwar Nagar Panchayat, Koelwar fell ill after taking Midday Meal (MDM) in the school. As the news spread, a medical team from Primary Health Centre, Koelwar, rushed to the school and examined the students. All the students were sent to their respective homes after administering some medicines except two who were admitted to the Primary Health Centre but there are also out of danger. 

Headmaster-in-Charge of the school, Sujit Kumar said that MDM was supplied for 91 students at about 11.30 am and the same was served to the students at about 1.30 pm after testing by the cook but she did not find lizard in the food. He said that even teacher tasted the food before serving the students. He added that he had gone to the block office with departmental works where he was informed that a dead lizard was in the food and students were falling ill after taking the MDM.

A medical team from the Koelwar PHC rushed to the school and examined the ailing students who complained stomachache, vomiting tendency and were sent home after giving them proper medical treatment. But two students of class V, Muskan daughter of Satyendra Rai and Anisha daughter of Rajdeo Rai were admitted to the Koelwar PHC. They said that after taking the MDM, they felt giddiness, vomiting tendency and stomachache and so they were admitted to the PHC.

MDM-in-Charge, Koelwar, Vibhishan Ram said that the MDM was prepared at a centralized kitchen by employees appointed by the District Education Officer (DEO) office. The appointed employees tasted the MDM first and then it is supplied to schools. He added that the Suprabhat Educational Trust is authorized to supply the MDM to schools from the centralized kitchen. The MDM was supplied properly or not is monitored through APP. He got the information that lizard was found in the MDM received on his mobile.