Student allergy: Health Ministry commences probe
Ridma Dissanayake
The Health Ministry launched an investigation to find out the reason
for the allergic reactions which resulted in around 1,000 students of
Gampola Jinaraja Balika Vidyalaya being hospitalised.
Students suffered attacks of nausea and developed skin rashes and
were admitted to the Gampola Base Hospital. Health Minister Maithripala
Sirisena directed Ministry Secretary Dr Nihal Jayathilake to carry out
an inquiry at ministerial level to find the reasons for the allergy.
Dr Jayathilake appointed Health Ministry’s Senior Epidemiologist Dr
Sudath Peiris to conduct the inquiry with the assistance of divisional
epidemiologists.
The allergic reactions were most likely caused by small insects,
hospitals sources said.
Medical Research Institute (MRI) Director Dr Anil Samaranayake said
they will conduct a separate inquiry to ascertain the reasons.
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