7-year-old tribal girl dies after chloroquine tablets administered in Andhra Pradesh anti-malaria drive

A tragic incident occurred in Gollaguppa village, Polavaram district, Andhra Pradesh during an anti-malaria drive. Seven-year-old tribal girl Madivi Jamuna died after falling ill following the distribution of chloroquine tablets. The child experienced a sudden drop in blood glucose levels, lost consciousness, and died despite being shifted to a higher medical facility for advanced treatment.

Over 50 people have been hospitalised, with 47 of them being children. An additional 17 villagers received medical attention at a special camp. District Collector K. Dinesh Kumar stated that the health condition of patients undergoing treatment is stable and urged people not to panic.

Authorities have sent the specific batch of chloroquine tablets administered in the village to Vizag Forensic Laboratory for analysis to determine the exact cause of the incident. Quality-control tests on the tablets had previously shown satisfactory results, but further investigation is underway.