Polavaram: Minor Girl Dies, 47 Children Hospitalised After Taking Pills in Anti-Malaria Drive in Andhra Pradesh
A seven-year-old tribal girl, Madivi Jamuna, died after falling ill following a chloroquine dose at a fever-surveillance camp in Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram district. Dozens of villagers, including children, were hospitalised. Officials said tablet quality tests were satisfactory, while the specific batch was sent for forensic analysis as doctors examine a possible underlying heart condition.
A seven-year-old girl died and 52 others, including 47 children, were hospitalised after being administered the anti-malarial drug chloroquine during a fever-surveillance camp in Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram district on Tuesday, September 1. The girl, identified as Madivi Jamuna, fell ill and lost consciousness after taking the tablet following a drop in her blood glucose levels.
Jamuna was initially taken to a nearby primary health centre and later shifted to a higher medical facility for advanced treatment, but died, Polavaram District Collector K Dinesh Kumar said, India Today reported. The incident occurred as health officials were administering chloroquine to villagers as a preventive measure after malaria cases were reported in the area. Lift Horror in Andhra Pradesh: Woman Trapped As Elevator Moves With Doors Open, Dies in Hospital; Video Surfaces.
Chloroquine Administered After Malaria Cases
Health department officials administered chloroquine tablets to villagers as a preventive measure after malaria cases were reported in the area. At least six malaria-positive cases had been reported in Gollaguppa village by Tuesday. The drug was administered as part of fever surveillance and preventive measures aimed at controlling the spread of malaria in the tribal area.
As many as 54 people were brought to the hospital. Of them, 53, including 48 children and five adults, were undergoing treatment, while another 17 villagers were receiving medical attention at a special camp. The figures provided by officials varied during the course of the response, with the district administration initially reporting 52 people hospitalised. Authorities continued monitoring those affected and providing medical care. Srisailam Mass Suicide: 5 Family Members Found Dead in Pilgrim Lodge, Financial Stress Suspected.
Chloroquine Batch Sent For Testing
The collector said quality-control tests conducted on the chloroquine tablets had returned satisfactory results. However, to ascertain the cause of the incident, the specific batch of tablets administered in the village was sent to the Vizag Forensic Laboratory for analysis. The testing is expected to help determine whether the medicine or another medical factor contributed to the illness reported after administration.
Officials added that preliminary medical assessments indicated that Jamuna might have had a pre-existing familial or genetic heart condition. Doctors suspected that chloroquine use in such a condition could have triggered cardiac arrhythmia, though definitive clinical confirmation was awaited. The suspected link has not yet been established conclusively, and further medical and forensic examination is underway.
The Collector added there was no need for panic and that the government was closely monitoring the situation. He said the health condition of the affected villagers was being continuously monitored and necessary treatment was being provided.
According to the district administration, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation on Tuesday night and directed officials to take necessary medical measures. Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the illness while monitoring the condition of the villagers receiving treatment.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 02, 2026 11:38 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
