TURA: A national medical programme meant to clear children of intestinal worms by oral administration of a de-worming tablet turned worrisome for health officials after children in a remote village in East Garo Hills began turning up at the local health centre complaining of uneasiness on Monday.
The National De-worming Day, a groundbreaking initiative focused on reducing the threat of parasitic worm infections, a widespread health issue affecting 140 million children across the country, was being organised in the State, including Garo Hills, with several lakh children in both government and private educational institutions successfully taking the oral dose of the de-worming tablet Albendazole.
However, it was only at Dobu village that complaints of ill-health began to surface with children from some schools being brought by their parents to the primary health centre for medical check-up after they began to complain about dizziness and stomach cramps.
Most of the children who sought medical intervention came from the Mission School at Dobu while a couple of others were from Dobu High School, Don Bosco, Rimdim and Chankol LP schools. As many as 49 students registered themselves for medical check-up at the health centre.
Medics who treated the children mention that many were found dehydrated due to the intense heat of the day and a sizeable number had come to school for the programme without having had any meal.
“We gave them oral rehydration by administering ORS and some took intravenous therapy (IV drip) after which they recovered and asked to be released. We believe it was due to the heat of the day and exhaustion on account of not having had their morning meal which compelled many to complain of dizziness and cramps,” said the medical team which was rushed from district headquarters Williamnagar.
As many as five doctors were dispatched to Dobu following reports of children being taken ill. Deputy Commissioner of East Garo Hills, Cyril Diengdoh, while speaking to The Shillong Times, said it was due to rumours which caused parents and children to panic and seek medical attention at the hospital.
“I have taken a review from the doctors at Dobu and there is no cause to worry. It was due to rumours which set off a panic leading to many children seeking medical attention. All the children who went to the health centre have returned to their respective homes,” said the deputy commissioner.
Official reports indicate that one of the children had taken an anti-allergy medicine on an empty stomach before attending to the programme and was later taken to the hospital after she complained of headaches, dizziness and stomach cramps. That incident, coupled with others having trekked for miles to reach school on an empty stomach leading to exhaustion, is believed to have triggered the mass hysteria.
Children from one of the schools in Dobu area were reportedly unable to participate in the national de-worming programme after panicked parents refused to allow their children from taking the medicine following the rumours that began to circulate.
Barring the Dobu incident the programme was a resounding success in the rest of Garo Hills with several lakh children being administered the de-worming medicine without any hiccups.
The national programme to improve the health of children and contain malnourishment by removing parasitic worm infections has even been hailed by the World Health Organization.
