Patna, May 7 (IANS). A health crisis broke out in Saharsa on Thursday after more than 250 children fell ill after having lunch at the Government Middle School located at Baluaha in Mahishi block.
Soon after having the meal, many students complained of stomach ache, vomiting, dizziness and restlessness, leading to chaos on the school campus.
The sudden deterioration in the health of the children caused panic among teachers, parents and local residents.
All the affected students were immediately taken to Mahishi Health Centre, where they are undergoing treatment under the supervision of the medical team.
There was a huge crowd at the health center due to the large number of children coming there, while the doctors and health workers were continuously examining and treating the students.
According to Rohit Kumar, a Class 5 student, rice and dal were served for lunch at the school around 10:00 pm.
Shortly after eating the food, he started having severe stomach pain, vomiting and dizziness.
Shivani, another Class 7 student, also said that many children started falling ill soon after eating the food served in the school.
As soon as information about the incident was received, district administration and health department officials immediately reached the spot to take stock of the situation.
Civil Surgeon Dr. Raj Narayan Prasad and other health officials visited Mahishi School to take stock of the arrangements for the treatment of children.
Officials said that the condition of the affected students is stable and the situation is under control. He appealed to the parents not to panic.
However, the incident has sparked outrage and concern among parents and local residents over the quality and safety of the midday meal served in the school.
The administration has started investigating the matter and preparations are underway to send the midday meal samples for laboratory testing to find out the exact cause of the suspected food poisoning.
Dr Raj Narayan Prasad confirmed that cases of suspected food poisoning had been reported, and said all the affected children were undergoing treatment.
He further informed that the students, whose condition seems to be relatively serious, have been admitted to Saharsa Sadar Hospital for better medical care.
Officials have said that all the children are currently out of danger, although the incident has once again raised serious concerns regarding food safety standards in school lunch arrangements.
–IANS
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