Health Glitch: Students Fall Ill During Anti-Filariasis Campaign

In a concerning development, several school students in Patna's Athmalgola locality fell ill on Wednesday during a Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign targeting lymphatic filariasis, officials reported.

The incident occurred in Ganpat Rai Tola, where students consumed Albendazole—a medicine known to occasionally cause side-effects under the MDA programme. Prompt actions by a Quick Response Team ensured all afflicted children received immediate hospital treatment, alleviating concerns of severe health complications.

While the health department assured the campaign—part of a broad initiative across Bihar—has otherwise run smoothly, medical officers remained vigilant. Filariasis, the targeted ailment, is a parasitic infection spread by mosquito bites.