146 Gurgaon students' taken ill after iron dose

The number of Gurgaon government school students taken ill after eating iron supplement tablets the day before rose to 146 Tuesday, officials said.

Most of the students who were administerd the iron tablets complained of vomiting, diarrhoea, headache and stomach pain.

At least 26 students, who were given iron tablets Monday, were admitted to civil hospital here. Another 30 students, from different parts of the district, were treated at Bhondsi primary heath centre, said a doctor.

"As many as 146 student with different illness were treated in primary health centers and community heath centers," an official, who did not whish to named, told IANS.

Parents of some of the affected children admitted them to private hospitals.
A large number of students from different parts of the district Tuesday missed their classes.
A Haryana government spokesperson admitted in Chandigarh that across the state 879 children were found suffering from mild side-effects like stomach ache and nausea after being administered iron folic tablets under a statewide campaign.

Gurgaon Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Pushpa Bishnoi told IANS: "Students reported giddiness after consuming iron tablets but there was nothing to worry."

The tablets were given to students as part of the re-launch of Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplement (WIFS) programme by Haryana's health department. Iron supplement tablets help in overcoming anaemia.

"This programme is for the betterment of the health of children and will continue," said Bishnoi.
Bishnoi said it was medically accepted that people taking iron tablets on an empty stomach may suffer from giddiness or vomiting sensation.

The WIFS programme will cover about 16 lakh students studying in government schools of the state.

In Gurgaon, more than one lakh students would be given one tablet every week for more than six months.