Odisha govt to active emergency response system for children

BHUBANESWAR: With children often falling ill after taking iron tablets, the Odisha government has decided to activate an emergency response system for National Iron Plus initiative under the mid-day-meal scheme to prevent the occurrence of untoward incidents with the children.

An official of school and mass education department said it was often observed that children catch the fever, vomit and express fatigue after taking iron tablets post lunch under the new initiative of Union government.

“The situation is not because of the tablets but because of poor immunity level in children,” said the official.

He said the department would activate the emergency response system wherein children will be taken into medical care immediately as soon as they complain of sickness or disorder after consuming iron tablets.

It is to be noted that the school and mass education department has adopted the Iron Plus Initiative under the mid-day-meal scheme to administer iron tablets such as albendazole immediately afternoon meal to increase the immunity of school going children.

School and mass education department secretary Ranjana Chopra, in a letter to all district education officers, directed to take necessary actions as per the operational guidelines of the national iron plus initiative to manage any adverse event following the administration of albendazole.

Medical experts attributed that like vaccination derives side effect to children, administration of such iron tablets too can do the same.