Iron tablets leave 879 Haryana students 'ill'

The Haryana government Tuesday admitted that 879 children were found suffering from mild side-effects like stomach ache and nausea after being administered iron folic tablets under a statewide campaign.

A spokesperson of the National Rural Health Mission, Haryana, said 16 lakh children were administered the tablets under the Weekly Iron-Folic Supplementation (WIFS) campaign re-launched in 21 districts.

"Only 879 children were found suffering with mild side-effects such as stomach ache and mild nausea. It is just 0.054 percent of the total students given WIFS blue tablet. A majority of the children did not show the general side-effects like severe diarrhoea and vomiting," said the spokesperson.

He said the affected children were immediately taken to the nearest health facilities and given first aid.

"Students found suffering from mild side-effects will be administered sub-normal dose for four weeks to accommodate the absorption of iron," he said.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the tablets did not suit some children but there was no cause for alarm.