Mangalore: Food Poisoning - Students of Residential School Hospitalized
Pics: Sphoorti Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (RS/SP)
Mangalore, Jun 9: Almost fifty percent of the students studying in a residential school in Natekal near Derlakatte were hospitalized on Tuesday June 9, as they showed symptoms of food poisoning.
Of the total 58 students from the Muslim Residential School who were hospitalized, the condition of 14 students is said to be serious. The remaining students have been kept under observation in a private hospital near Deralakatte. The principal of the school informed that all the hospitalized students are recovering.
The school has student strength of 114. There are three cooks in this school to provide food for the students. The students from the Muslim community, coming from different places of the district, study in this residential school.
Students from the sixth to 10th standard study in this school, where accommodation facility is also provided. The school functions under the social welfare department of Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat.
The hospitalized students said that, they started vomiting after eating break fast. Some of them also suffered from diarrhea. The students had a food item made out of rice and tea. A banana each is also provided to all of the students.
Rahim, one of the students, who is in the hospital said, that his stomach started aching at first and later he vomited. He also complained that he does not like the food provided at the school, as it is not tasty.
The residential school suffers from various problems. Shortage of the space for the students is one of the problems of the school. The toilet which is located near the dining hall and the kitchen, was found to be dirty, as a result of which it has turned into a breeding ground of houseflies.
Shaida Banu, principal, said that they have been managing the school in spite of various problems and lack of facilities plaguing it. The food poisoning symptoms have been found for the first time in this school, she clarified. She revealed that she too ate the food item to check, but she did not suffer from any ill-affects.
The residential school, which is in a three-storied building, has ten rooms. In the first floor, the office room, staff room, dining hall and kitchen are located. The second floor has class rooms while the third floor is reserved for the purpose of sleeping by the students.
One of the students said, they do not have enough space to sleep.
A medical officer from the primary health centre in Manjanady, visited the school and inspected the water and the food. She stated that the symptoms were of cholera, perhaps owing to the unhygienic surroundings.
The other students in the school said they did not experience any side affects like the ones exhibited by others.
A doctor in the private hospital said, the students will be discharged soon as they are recovering.