Nine children who fell ill after chloroquine drive in Andhra’s Polavaram test positive for malaria
Nine children in Andhra Pradesh's Polavaram district have tested positive for malaria after falling ill following a health drive where they were administered Chloroquine. Authorities are investigating the incident, noting that the children were part of a group of 52 villagers who experienced adverse reactions.
Why it matters
The incident raises concerns regarding public health administration and medical safety protocols in remote tribal regions.
At least nine children below the age of 10, who were among the 52 villagers who had taken ill after being administered ‘Chloroquine’ tablet at Gollaguppa village of Polavaram district on Tuesday, were diagnosed of malaria on Wednesday.
The nine children showed no symptoms of malaria and were recommended to be under observation of doctors at the Bhadrachalam Area Hospital in Telangana.
The 52 villagers, 47 of them children, were admitted to the hospitals nearby after they complained of fever and vomiting hours after being administered the tablet during a health drive conducted in the village by the Medical and Health Department on Tuesday.
“The health condition of the remaining is stable, and 32 persons have been discharged from Bhadrachalam Area Hospital on Wednesday,” Chintoor ITDA Project Officer Subham Nokwal told The Hindu.
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