Report

At least eight children experienced food poisoning at Neyyatinkara District General Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, with the incident occurring in the pediatric ward. The children began showing symptoms such as vomiting and discomfort. Hospital staff immediately administered treatment, but the source of the contamination remains unclear.

Parents Raise Hygiene Concerns

The parents of the affected children filed a complaint, alleging that the tool used to mix Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) was unclean, sparking concerns about the hospital’s hygiene standards. In response, the District Medical Officer has initiated an inquiry into the issue. The children first showed signs of illness on Friday night. However, the on-call nurse allegedly dismissed their symptoms and advised the parents to have the children evaluated the next day. The parents claim that the children only received treatment for their symptoms on Saturday morning.

Worries Over Inadequate Sanitation in Hospital

In addition to concerns about food poisoning, the parents voiced concerns about the hospital’s hygiene practices. They stated that children with fevers and respiratory problems were given nebulization treatment without proper sanitation of the equipment. Dr Santosh, the hospital superintendent, stated that the children had reportedly eaten food from outside the hospital, which they believe could be the source of the food poisoning. He rejected the claims that food poisoning originated within the hospital or that the hospital staff had been negligent.

Source: Mathrubhumi