The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Dies of diarrhoea symptoms

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 07, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Dies of diarrhoea symptoms

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI, SEPT. 6. A 90-year-old man, admitted at the K.A.P. Viswanatham Government Medical College Hospital here, died today reportedly due to symptoms of diarrhoea.

According to hospital authorities, Thangam of Srirangam had high blood pressure at the time of admission and died of stroke subsequently. He was admitted along with eight others suffering from similar symptoms. They belonged to Khajamalai and Srirangam in the city limits and Inamkulathur.

Some, referred by the Srirangam Government Hospital, reportedly complained that they developed the symptoms after consuming Diethyl Carbamazine Citrate (DEC) tablets, distributed by the Health department as a precaution against filariasis on Saturday.

While Chinnammal (65), Govindaraj (65) and Velu (50) were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, Kannan (75), Vasantha (58), Karupayee (45), Swaminathan (83) and Chinnaponnu (70) were in the general ward, according to hospital sources.

Hospital's observation

The authorities said they could not confirm whether the DEC tablets caused Thangam's death. However, they insisted, even if the tablets had caused a reaction, the symptoms would have been an itching sensation and inflammation. Moreover, the reaction would have been immediate.

"In any case, 10-15 patients are admitted to the hospital daily with acute vomiting and diarrhoea," said the Dean in-charge, V. Thirugnanam. Revenue department officials, who conducted an enquiry, endorsed the observation by the hospital authorities.

Meanwhile, Health Department officials said the three-day operation to distribute the tablets, which ended today, were planned to cover 22.5 lakh people.

30 hospitalised

The District Collector, V. Pandian, said so far 30 people were admitted to Government and private hospitals with complaints of complications after taking the tablets.

Maintaining that medical officials had ruled out that the symptoms were due to consumption of the tablets, he, however, said complications could have occurred due to non-adherence to stipulations highlighted through the media. The tablets — one for children over two and three for adults, barring pregnant women and those suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes and other serious ailments — should be consumed only after meals.

Medical officials have confirmed that Thangam died of Cerebro Vascular accident, the Collector said in a press release.

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