Hipodromo students: Department of Education, City Health probe poisoning

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Education-Cebu City Division’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management is conducting its own investigation into the alleged food poisoning that downed 12 students of Hipodromo Elementary School in Barangay Hipodromo Wednesday.

DepEd Cebu City Division-DRRM assistant head, Nurse II Bernardo Son, confirmed that they went to the school to investigate and determine if it was really the sweet delicacy that the students ate that caused their sickness.

Last Wednesday, 11 students of Hipodromo Elementary School were brought to the Cebu City Medical Center after they reportedly suffered from stomach pain, dizziness and vomiting. At 2 a.m., yesterday, another student from the school was brought to the same hospital after showing the same symptoms.

The victims ages six to 14 reportedly consumed masi, a sweet delicacy made of sticky rice formed into balls mixed with peanuts and/or puto or steamed rice cake, inside the school.   Son said they directed the school to closely monitor food sold and consumed by the students.

Five out of the 12 students are reportedly still confined at the CCMC as of yesterday.

Doctor Gloria Duterte, CCMC director for medical services, said that as of 1 p.m. yesterday, seven students were discharged from the hospital after they have undergone medication.

Duterte said the five were left in the hospital since the fluids the hospital has provided the students have not been fully consumed yet.

However, Romeo Lisondra, principal of Hipodromo  Elementary School, he said he was informed that all 12 students were already discharged from the hospital yesterday.

In a statement, the CCMC management said that all students were rehydrated with intravenous fluids while other tests were made, including a complete blood count, urina-lysis, stool examination, sodium, potassium, among others.

The medications were oresol/hydrite for volume replacement, omeprazole, para-cetamol, and increase oral fluid intake.

It was not stated in the statement if the students were really poisoned by what they ate.

However, CCMC’s senior resident pediatrician, Coleen Intong, earlier said she could say that the students were poisoned but could not identify yet as to what food poisoned them.

Duterte said the hospital management will endorse its report to the City Health Department (CHD).

CHD head, Dr. Daisy Villa, said though that her office has been conducting its own investigation.

Villa said her office got a sample of the product that allegedly downed the students.

She said the sample of the product will be forwarded to Department of Health-Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit for examination.

Meanwhile, to prevent the same incident, Lisondra said he encourages parents not to give money to the students so that they will not be enticed to buy food while at the school.

Lisondra said he cannot confirm if the teacher who consigned the product in the canteen has been suspended but  added  he has  ordered   the suspension of the consignment of any products with unknown source. — Jean Marvette A. Demecillo and Rowena Capistrano of BANAT NEWS/ATO