12 children fall ill after leaving paediatric ward at Area Hospital in Nagarjunasagar

Twelve children admitted to the paediatric ward of Kamala Nehru Area Hospital, Nagarjunasagar, in Nalgonda district developed fever and related symptoms after leaving the ward without medical clearance on the night of November 14. Hospital authorities said that the children have since been stabilised and are recovering.

According to a report submitted to the District Collector by Dr D. Mathru, Superintendent of the District Hospital, Nalgonda, a total of 21 children, aged between one and 11 years, were admitted to the Area Hospital earlier in the day with complaints of fever and discomfort. They were examined and given antibiotics and supportive care. The first round of treatment was administered at 9 p.m., followed by protocol antibiotics at 10 p.m.

During routine rounds later that night, medical staff found that 12 of the admitted children were missing from the ward. The report noted that these were the same children who later returned with high fever, chills, vomiting and abdominal pain.

“The children were traced and brought back to the hospital, where they were re-examined and re-admitted. All the missing children had the symptoms that had prompted the renewed medical intervention. Out of that, 11 are residents of Nagarjunasagar and one child is from Utlapally in Chennampally,” the report said.

By 7 a.m. on Saturday, the children showed improvement. Their fever had subsided, vital signs had returned to normal, and they were shifted back to the general paediatric ward. All 12 are currently stable and are under observation.

Preliminary findings in the medical report suggest that the reaction may have been triggered by sepsis or viral pneumonia with gastritis. The report also noted that after false messages were circulated on social media, a crowd of nearly 40 people gathered outside the hospital late on November 14, accusing the staff of negligence.