Polavaram: A seven year old girl has died and 52 people have fallen ill after taking anti malaria tablets distributed as part of a malaria prevention drive in Gollaguppa village of Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram district.
The girl, Madivi Jamuna, a Class 2 student, died while undergoing treatment. Her death has raised serious questions about what happened after the anti-malaria tablets were distributed, although officials have not yet confirmed that the medicine was responsible for her death.
The incident took place after 71 people in the village were given anti malaria tablets as part of efforts to prevent malaria. Soon after taking the tablets, several villagers reportedly became unwell and had to be taken for medical treatment.
Of the people affected, 29 were shifted to a hospital in Telangana, while 24 others were admitted to a local health centre, according to officials. The patients who are currently under treatment are said to be in stable condition.
The incident has prompted the Andhra Pradesh government to step in. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has ordered an investigation and sought details from senior health officials and the district collector about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Medical teams have also been rushed to Gollaguppa to monitor the villagers. A special medical camp has been set up, while a team of specialists from Kakinada Government General Hospital has reached the village. Three paediatricians have also joined the medical teams treating those affected. More teams from Vijayawada, Rajamahendravaram and Kakinada are expected to assist.
District Collector Dinesh Kumar has appealed to villagers not to panic and said the condition of those receiving treatment is stable.
Authorities are now trying to determine exactly what caused so many people to fall ill after the tablets were administered. Investigators are expected to examine the medicine, the dosage given, the way the tablets were distributed and other possible causes.
Chloroquine is a commonly used anti malarial drug, but there is currently no official confirmation that the tablets caused Jamuna’s death or the illnesses among the villagers.
For now, the focus remains on treating those affected and finding out what went wrong in the village. The investigation is still underway.
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