A midday meal at a government primary school in Jamaalapura, Bidar, Karnataka, led to twenty children being hospitalized on Tuesday. The students experienced symptoms of suspected food poisoning shortly after consuming the meal.

Following the incident, teachers acted quickly to transport all the affected students to Aurad Taluk Hospital for immediate medical attention. As of now, all twenty children are reported to be out of danger and are receiving treatment. Preliminary information suggests that the cause of the illness may be due to contamination or a defect in the cooked midday meal. Food samples have been sent for testing to ascertain the exact cause of the poisoning.

This incident is not isolated, as recent reports detail similar occurrences in other parts of the region. Just a day earlier, forty-eight children in a separate incident in Bidar were hospitalized with vomiting and diarrhoea after eating a midday meal at a government higher primary school in Jamalapur village of Bidar district. Furthermore, twenty-two students in Sangareddy, Telangana, were treated for stomach pain following a midday meal. These events have raised concerns about the safety and quality of the food provided under the midday meal scheme.

The midday meal scheme is a vital program in India, designed to provide nutritious meals to school children, improving their health and educational outcomes. However, these recent incidents have put a spotlight on the need for stricter quality control and hygiene standards in the preparation and serving of these meals. Authorities are investigating the matter to identify the source of the contamination and implement measures to prevent future occurrences.

The Karnataka education department is working with health officials to ensure that all affected children receive the necessary care and that the school environment is safe. The incident has prompted calls for a review of the food safety protocols in schools across the state to ensure that such incidents are avoided in the future. The focus remains on ensuring the well-being of the students and maintaining the integrity of the midday meal program, which is crucial for the health and education of children in the region.