Food poisoning: 84 MBBS students seek medical care in TVM

 Food poisoning: 84 MBBS students seek medical care in TVM 

Onmanorama Staff

PUBLISHED: MAY 18 , 2025 11:16 AM IST

 UPDATED: MAY 18, 2025 03:50 PM IST 2 MINUTE READ

Thiruvananthapuram Govt.Medical College Hospital. Photo: Manorama Thiruvananthapuram: A total of 84 female hostelers of the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College have sought medical care over the past three days with symptoms of food poisoning. According to inmates, the affected students had consumed butter chicken served at the ladies' hostel mess and later reported nausea, stomach pain, and other typical signs of foodborne illness. They reportedly rushed to the Medical College Hospital after their symptoms became unbearable.

Gatha K, a third-year medical student and the SFI unit secretary of the college, confirmed to Onmanorama that the students started showing symptoms after consuming the chicken curry. "The very next day (Friday) some 40-odd students had gone to the OP and casualty (of the Medical College) for treatment," Gatha said. She said that by now over 85 students had been affected. However, no one seems serious. At most, students had two to three episodes of either vomiting, loose stool or both. 

"Not all of the affected students have taken treatment. Some have even left for their homes," Gatha said. She said that the students' union of the college would submit a complaint to the college principal on Monday. "If it is possible, we will meet the principal today itself. We basically want immediate action. If this is the result of food poisoning, we want the authorities to take appropriate action," Gatha said. The hostel mess is run by an annual contract. 

The student leader said that the emergency could also have been caused by other factors, like poor drinking water. "We want the authorities to do a thorough audit of the hostel mess and other services and rectify the problems on an emergency basis," Gatha said.

The students have already talked to the warden. "We have been told that the samples have been sent for testing. Action has been promised once the results are out," Gatha said.

Initially, only three or four students reported discomfort, but the number of affected students quickly rose to over 80. All students' conditions are reported to be stable.