A seven-year-old girl has died, and 53 others have fallen ill after receiving chloroquine tablets during a malaria prevention initiative in Gollaguppa village, located in the Yetapaka mandal of Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram district. Officials familiar with the situation reported the incident, highlighting the serious consequences of the administration of the medication.
“After returning home on Tuesday evening, she developed vomiting and later became unconscious. The collector also visited the hospital on Wednesday and reviewed the patients’ condition. She was taken to Lakshmipuram hospital and subsequently shifted to Bhadrachalam Area Hospital in Telangana for better treatment, where doctors declared her dead,” Kumar added. Taking chloroquine caused some of them to experience vomiting, nausea, and stomach discomfort. The seven-year-old girl was declared dead upon arrival at our hospital. Further diagnosis and establishment require sending samples to a forensic lab. Once those results arrive, we can conclude and establish the exact cause of death. Some patients developed vomiting after taking the tablets.
The incident took place on Tuesday around 5 pm after health officials conducted fever surveillance and a medical camp in the village in the morning, where a high number of malaria cases had reportedly been detected. One of the students, Madivi Jamuna (7), reportedly took three tablets, he said. “Out of 71 people, 53 from Gollaguppa village developed complications after taking the tablet and were brought to Bhadrachalam hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, another 17 people in the village showing malaria symptoms were being monitored through a special medical camp,” the collector said. The 53 patients included 48 children and five adults. Bhadrachalam Area Hospital superintendent Dr Rajasekhar said, “Out of 53 patients, four children complained of nausea and vomiting.
All were in stable condition and none was in a critical condition, Kumar said. “Seven of the admitted patients tested positive for malaria and they would be kept under medical observation for another 24 hours,” he said. Doctors told the collector that vomiting was a known and relatively common side effect of chloroquine and that the symptoms in most patients were not indicative of a serious reaction. “Three specialised Rapid Response medical teams from Kakinada, Rajamahendravaram and Vijayawada have reached Bhadrachalam to assist with treatment and monitoring,” he said.
