Gaya civil surgeon denies protocol breach in giving anti-filarial drug

Gaya: Civil surgeon Raja Ram Prasad on Wednesday denied any protocol violation in the administration of anti-filarial drug among children above two years of age.Reacting to reports that nearly one dozen children of middle school of Chotka Karasan under Imamganj block of the district fell ill after being administered the drug in empty stomach whereas the protocol envisaged drug administration only post meal, the civil surgeon maintained that no wrong was committed.According to reports reaching the district headquarters, the anti-filarial drug was administered to the middle school children on Monday. Within one hour of being administered the preventive medicine several children complained of stomach ache, nausea and vomiting. The reports suggested that the children fell ill due to protocol violation. The children were immediately taken to the local primary health centre for treatment.While confirming the incidence of children’s illness, the civil surgeon said the children fell ill because their bodies could not cope with the medicine and in rare cases this may happen. There was absolutely no violation of the protocol, he added.The anti-filarial drug administration campaign is going on since Feb 11 and no complaint has been received from anywhere else in the district, he said. He also said that the figure of about a dozen children falling ill was exaggerated. As per his information, only three-four children fell ill and all of them have now been discharged. He also said the teams engaged in the campaign also carry biscuits to ensure that it is not administered in an empty stomach.However, Radhe Shyam Prasad, former leader of HAM(S), alleged thatinstead of cover up, the officials should own the mistake and take disciplinary action against those who administered the drug.