123 students fall ill after eating lugaw, taking DOH-supplied vitamins

One hundred twenty-three female students from Lawigan National High School in Mati, Davao Oriental were rushed to the hospital after eating lugaw and taking iron supplements provided by the Department of Health.

According to a report by Mariz Umali on 24 Oras, health officials are still investigating if the students became sick from the porridge or the ferrous sulfate and folic acid vitamins given as part of the DOH's iron deficiency awareness drive.

However, DOH Region XI Regional Program Manager Dr. Vergel Jay Bautista said there should've been time between the feeding and the distribution of the supplements.

"Kailangan ma-pakain pa rin ang mga bata 1-2 hours before mag-intake ng gamot," Bautista said.

This was the first time such an incident occurred in the three-year history of the program. The vitamins given to the students came from the DOH's store.

The Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center reported that 97 of the students have been discharged and were given home medication.

Seven remain in the hospital despite being medically cleared to go home, while 10 remain under observation and nine are still admitted to the hospital.

Lawigan National High School has resumed normal operations since the incident. — Rie Takumi/BM, GMA News