Nam Nhoong (Que Phong): 13 preschool children were poisoned

(Baonghean) - On the evening of May 13, in Nam Nhoong commune, Que Phong district, many kindergarten students at Na Hoc school suddenly fainted, had stomachaches, and had difficulty breathing. One child died, and many children had to be taken to the commune health station and Que Phong General Hospital for treatment and emergency care. The initial cause was determined to be poisoning due to taking deworming medicine...

On the morning of May 14, we went to Que Phong District General Hospital, where a poisoned child, Ha Quan Tuong, nearly 5 years old, was being treated for poisoning transferred from Nam Nhoong commune. Mr. Ha Van Tiep, Tuong's father, said: "On the afternoon of May 13, after coming home from school, he was still playing and eating normally. At around 7 pm, we saw that he was showing unusual signs: his eyes were closed, he didn't want to talk, and he had slight convulsions. Suspecting that his child was poisoned, that night, the family took him to the Commune Health Station, and the next day, they transferred him to Que Phong District General Hospital for further monitoring. By 11 am on May 14, Tuong was conscious and his health gradually stabilized." Doctor Ho Quoc Cuong - Head of the Emergency Resuscitation Department, said: "Tuong was admitted to the hospital at around 9 am on May 14. The department has given him intravenous fluids, combined with digestive enzymes and detoxification. His health is now stable and he can be discharged."

Ha Quan Tuong is being treated at Que Phong District General Hospital.

On the afternoon of May 14, we went to Na Hoc 1 village, Nam Nhoong commune. Local people were still shocked by the incident of dozens of children showing signs of poisoning, unfortunately, Nong Thi Yen died. Yen's relatives said: That day, Yen came home from school and still ate and played normally. In the evening, she showed unusual symptoms. Her family took her to the commune health station but could not save her. Ha Van Dau, whose daughter Ha Thi Uoc was poisoned, said: That evening, she came home from school and still ate dinner with her family. At around 8:00 p.m. on May 13, they saw that she was showing unusual symptoms, complaining of stomach pain. Seeing that, the family took her to the commune health station. At the station, many children were being treated, all of them showing signs of poisoning. After being treated by medical staff, at around 2:00 a.m., she got better and her family took her home. Her health is now normal.

Doctor Luong Van The, Head of Nam Nhoong Commune Health Station, said: On the morning of May 13, the station sent medical staff to coordinate with 3 schools in the commune to distribute deworming medicine for students to drink, including schools: Na Hoc, Huoi Cam and Na village. The deworming medicine is Albendasol with a content of 400 mg (take only 1 pill), provided by the District Health Center. At around 8:00 a.m. on May 13, the schools began to organize for the children to drink the medicine. At around 8:00 p.m. on the same day, many families brought their children to the station, many of whom showed signs of stomachache and nausea. The station treated them by mixing sugar water for the children to drink, of which 4 children received 5% Glucose IV. By the afternoon of May 14, 57 families in the 3 villages above brought their children who were in preschool for examination, of whom 9 children showed signs of stomachache, suspected of being poisoned. Currently, all the children have returned home, with normal health. Regarding the death of Nong Thi Yen (5 years old), doctor Luong Van The said: Her family brought her to the station at 9 pm, in a state of cyanosis, difficulty breathing, very weak heartbeat, unable to move and died a few minutes later.

Mr. Ngan Van Chin, Chairman of Nam Nhoong Commune People's Committee, said: There were 13 children who were preschool students in the commune who showed signs of poisoning after taking deworming medicine at school on the morning of May 13. Of these, 9 children were from Na Hoc village, 3 children from Na village and 1 child from Huoi Cam. Currently, 1 child has died, 1 child is being treated at Que Phong General Hospital, the rest have returned home and are in stable health. The deceased case was Nong Thi Yen, the daughter of Mr. Nong Van Thieu in Na Hoc 1 village, currently waiting for the authorities to conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death. The remaining deworming medicine has been sealed and stored by the commune police for investigation.

Mr. Le Quang Trung, Deputy Director of Que Phong District Medical Center, said: The number of deworming drugs distributed to preschool and primary school students in the district is provided by Nghe An Center for Malaria - Parasite - Insect Prevention. The campaign to distribute drugs to preschool and primary school students in the area has been carried out since 2006, and there have been no cases of poisoning due to taking deworming drugs.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Phan Trong Dung - Chief of Office of Que Phong District People's Committee, said: Immediately after the incident of 13 kindergarten children in Nam Nhoong commune being poisoned on the evening of May 13, the District People's Committee directed the Health and Education sector to temporarily stop giving deworming medicine to students at the remaining schools in the district, waiting for the conclusion of the professional agency; directed the functional forces to investigate the activities and meals of the children on that day; help the family whose child died, and at the same time do a good job of ideological work among the people. In the immediate future, the District People's Committee will support the family whose child died with 2 million VND.

Currently, the provincial Forensic Department, together with the provincial Center for Malaria - Parasite - Insect Prevention and the District Medical Center, are conducting an autopsy on Nong Thi Yen to collect samples for examination.

X.Hoang – H.Phuong