Ministers visit NIMS to check on tribal school students hospitalized due to contaminated water

Ministers visit NIMS to check on schoolgirls hospitalized due to contaminated water, promising thorough investigation and medical support.

Ministers and political leaders from both the ruling and Opposition parties gathered at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad on Tuesday (November 5) to check on three schoolgirls from the Tribal Welfare Ashram School in Asifabad district. The students, aged between 13 and 16, were admitted to the hospital after reportedly falling ill due to contaminated water at their school.

According to the medical superintendent at NIMS, the three students of Class 7, 8 and 9 are currently under treatment. “Two of the students, admitted on November 3, are in stable condition, while the third who was admitted on November 5, remains on mechanical ventilatory support,” the Superintendent said.

Siddipet MLA and former minister for health T. Harish Rao was among the first to visit the hospital. Expressing concern over the state of government residential schools, he criticised the current administration, led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, for what he described as a failure to address safety and infrastructure needs in these institutions. “Many parents enrol their children in government residential schools hoping for quality education and safe conditions. However, these hopes are fading due to the worsening state of facilities over the past eleven months,” Rao stated. He questioned if there was a hidden agenda to close government residential schools, noting that although foundation stones for integrated residential schools have been laid, progress has stalled.

Following his visit, Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Konda Surekha also visited NIMS. Minister Surekha assured the students and their families that a thorough investigation into the cause of the health issues would be conducted. “The health and safety of our students is our highest priority. We will take necessary measures to prevent such incidents in the future,” said Ponnam Prabhakar, adding that the State would cover all medical expenses and reinforce health and safety protocols in residential schools across the region.

Minister for Health C. Damodar Raja Narasimha also directed NIMS Director N. Bheerappa to prioritise the recovery of the students and provide them with all necessary treatments free of charge.