Andhra Pradesh Girl Dies After Chloroquine Dose, 52 Hospitalised in Polavaram

A seven-year-old girl died after falling seriously ill following the distribution of chloroquine tablets in a village in Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram district, while 52 other people are undergoing treatment, officials said. The incident has prompted the state administration to launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the illnesses.

The affected residents belong to Gollaguppa village, located along the Andhra Pradesh-Telangana border. According to officials, 71 people were administered the anti-malaria medicine as part of efforts to prevent malaria. Several recipients subsequently developed health problems and required medical attention.

Of those who fell ill, 29 people were taken to a hospital in Telangana, while another 24 were admitted to a nearby health centre. Madivi Jamuna, a Class 2 student, was among those who developed symptoms after taking the medicine. She died while receiving treatment, officials said.

The condition of the other patients has been described as stable. District Collector Dinesh Kumar said there was no need for panic and assured residents that those receiving treatment were being closely monitored.

The district administration has responded by deploying specialist medical teams to the village and establishing a medical camp. A nine-member team from Kakinada Government General Hospital, including paediatric specialists, has reached the affected area. Additional medical teams from Vijayawada, Rajamahendravaram and Kakinada are also expected to assist with the response.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to ensure that all affected people receive appropriate medical care. He also sought details from senior health department officials and the district collector regarding the incident, the treatment being provided and the condition of those hospitalised.

Authorities are investigating the exact reason behind the illnesses and the girl’s death. Chloroquine is an antiparasitic medicine commonly used to treat malaria, but officials have not yet established whether the medicine itself caused the adverse reactions. Medical teams are continuing to monitor the patients while authorities work to determine what led to the sudden health problems after the tablets were distributed.