Four teenagers, including two girls, lodged in a shelter home for children with special needs in the Mohan area of Lucknow died while 25 other minors were taken sick due to reasons not ascertained yet even as officials pointed to likely “contamination of water” which these inmates may have consumed.
The shelter home, Nirvan Rajkiya Bal Grah Visheshikrit, has had 142 children, some of whom started falling ill since March 20 but the management tried to hide it initially, officials said.
Of the four deceased, aged 13 to 16, one was suffering from tuberculosis (TB), one was diagnosed with diabetes after being admitted to hospital while another was having episodes of seizures, officials said.
The Lucknow District Magistrate has instituted an inquiry into the incident and samples of water and food have been taken from the shelter home. Records at the Lok Bandhu Raj Narain Combined Hospital, Lucknow, where most of the victims were taken, show that the children started arriving at the health facility with symptoms of dehydration and vomiting.
Doctors at the hospital and teams visiting the shelter home told The Indian Express that the children’s test results pointed out that most of them were “anaemic”.
Lucknow District Magistrate Vishak G said, “The Women and Child Department runs the home for mentally challenged children under the public private partnership (PPP) mode with an organisation named Nirvana. A few days ago, some children displayed symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea. As soon as we got information, those with serious symptoms were rushed to hospital. Currently, 25 minors are being treated at different hospitals.”
Of those undergoing treatment, 16 are at the Lok Bandhu Raj Narayan Combined Hospital, three at Balrampur Hospital and one at the King George’s Medical University.
“Tests are being conducted to ascertain the actual cause behind the illness. The condition of inmates at the hospital or those at the shelter home is stable. Teams have been formed to look into the cause of the incident,” DM Vishak said.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Dr Rajiv Dixit, Chief Medical Superintendent, Lok Bandhu Hospital, said, “Since March 21, we received 25 minors with symptoms of dehydration and vomiting. After tests, some were diagnosed with anaemia and other comorbidities, which are also being treated. Two children, aged 16, died here during treatment. Special care is being given to them as they are unable to share their symptoms being mentally challenged.”
Multiple tests, including that of Hepatitis-B, are being conducted to check those taken sick for all parameters, doctors said.
Nirvan Rajkiya Bal Grah Visheshikrit superintendent Preeti Mishra told The Indian Express, “We had 142 children at the shelter home which we are running for the government for the past nine years. There could not have been any food poisoning, as I checked the food before serving it to the inmates. We suspect water contamination. As soon the children reported discomfort, they were given treatment and were immediately rushed to hospital when their condition started deteriorating,” she said.
“Even three members of our staff have been taken ill. They bring food from their home and we have RO water system at the centre.”
Since the inmates are mentally challenged, it became difficult to ascertain their condition immediately, she added.
“We were aware that one of the children who died had TB but got to know that she was suffering from diabetes as well only after her admission to hospital. Also, nearly 15 inmates used to have seizures,” Mishra said.
Meanwhile, Priyanka Maurya, a member of the Uttar Pradesh State Women Commission, who inspected the shelter home on Thursday said all the inmates are under constant watch and are stable. “Inquiries are being conducted and the guilty will not be spared. Our first priority is ensuring the well-being of these children,” she said.
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