Oleander leaves found in midday meal at Khammam Anganwadi centre, five reportedly fall ill

Oleander leaves were reportedly found in dal served at an Anganwadi centre in Sathupalli mandal of Khammam district. Three children and two women allegedly fell ill after consuming the meal and were shifted to Khammam for further treatment.

Khammam: An incident of midday meal contamination with oleander (Ganneru) leaves at Anganwadi centre-3 at Kishtaram in Sathupalli mandal in the district came to light lately.
It was said that oleander leaves were found in the dal (lentil curry) served to the children at Krishnakumari Anganwadi centre three days ago. Two women Swapna and Kumari, children Riyans, Yashwanth and Tanmayi were said to have fallen ill after consuming the dal.

They were rushed to Sathupalli Government Hospital, after receiving initial medical care there; the children were shifted to Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Centre at Government General Hospital in Khammam for advanced treatment.

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The children were being treated at Khammam for three days without letting the matter leak out. The kids’ parents told the media that doctors observed abnormalities in the kids’ ECG readings and they requested the doctors to discharge the kids so that they could seek better medical care at a private hospital. However, Anganwadi staff and doctors refused the request, they alleged.

Questions were being raised over safety standards at the Anganwadi centre in preparing the food and how oleander leaves ended up in the food served to the children. The parents were demanding the concerned officials to conduct an inquiry and take action against those responsible.

Sathupalli Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS) Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) Sathyavathi said the matter was being probed.