At least 8 children suffer food poisoning at hospital in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: At least eight children have reportedly suffered food poisoning at the Neyyatinkara District General Hospital here on Saturday.

The incident happened in the children’s ward, where the affected children began displaying symptoms such as vomiting and body discomfort.

Medical staff at the hospital immediately initiated treatment, but the source of the contamination remains unclear. According to a complaint filed by the parents, the utensil used to mix Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) was unclean, leading to suspicions of poor hygiene. The District Medical Officer (DMO) has since launched an investigation into the matter.

The children began showing signs of discomfort on Friday night, but when the duty nurse was alerted, she reportedly dismissed the symptoms and suggested that they be checked the following day. The parents claim that the children only received treatment for their symptoms on Saturday morning.

In addition to the food poisoning issue, the parents also raised concerns about the hospital’s hygiene practices, alleging that children who came to the hospital with fever and respiratory issues were given nebulisation without proper cleaning of the equipment.

Dr. Santosh, the hospital superintendent, stated that the children admitted to the hospital had reportedly consumed food purchased from outside, which they believe could be the cause of the food poisoning. He dismissed the claims of food poisoning originating within the hospital or any neflect from the hospital staff.