A cautionary tale from the incident of 32 students poisoned by chemicals.

According to information from the parents, the young patients drank a fragrant, syrup-like liquid, but found it bitter when they tasted it and quickly spat it out.

According to information from the parents, the young patients drank a fragrant, syrup-like liquid, but found it bitter when they tasted it and quickly spat it out.

On the evening of January 22, 2025, Bach Mai Hospital received 32 child patients from Tuyen Quang City suspected of rat poison poisoning. The children, mostly students from grades 1 to 5 at Phu Binh Primary School, had accidentally ingested a rat poison containing the active ingredient fluoroacetate.

The child is currently receiving treatment at Bach Mai Hospital.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Dao Xuan Co, Director of Bach Mai Hospital, immediate action was taken to focus all resources on emergency care and coordinate hospital-wide consultations to develop the best treatment plan for the pediatric patients.

According to information from the parents, the young patients said they drank a fragrant, syrup-like liquid, but found it bitter when they tasted it and spat it out.

Some children ingested about 1-2 drops, while others drank from 1/3 to 1 dropper. Those who drank more experienced severe symptoms such as headaches, vomiting, dizziness, and were at risk of severe poisoning. At Bach Mai Hospital, the children underwent testing, examination, and close monitoring. Some showed signs of brain and heart damage, while others had milder symptoms.

Regarding the origin of the chemicals, the students stated that on the morning of January 21st, a student found a bag containing several red and blue plastic tubes outside the school grounds, then brought it back to school and invited friends to drink from it.

The children also shared that in the afternoon, another child found a bag containing pink chemical vials in the bushes near the school gate and tried drinking from it. All of them drank from it sometime in the afternoon of January 21st.

To date, Bach Mai Hospital has admitted and treated 32 children at its Pediatric Center and Poison Control Center. The National Children's Hospital is also treating 5 children involved in the same incident. Doctors conducted urine tests, and the results from the National Forensic Institute came back positive for fluoroacetate.

Doctors at Bach Mai Hospital urgently mobilized medical and nursing staff and coordinated with the Poison Control Center to classify, assess, and treat the pediatric patients. All children underwent examinations, echocardiograms, MRI scans, and were closely monitored.

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Nam, Director of the Pediatric Center, said: “Immediately upon receiving the pediatric patients, the Pediatric Center promptly mobilized doctors and nurses and coordinated with the Poison Control Center to assess and classify the patients, while also requesting guidance to establish a hospital-wide scientific consultation council.”

According to Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Director of the Poison Control Center, the red liquid that the children drank has the characteristics of fluoroacetate/fluoroacetamide, a rodenticide originating from China, which is highly toxic to the nervous system.

This chemical can cause seizures, coma, severe brain damage, heart damage, acute myocarditis, acute heart failure, arrhythmias, cardiogenic shock, along with the characteristic manifestation of hypocalcemia.

Severe cases of poisoning can cause damage and multi-organ failure. Fluoroacetate has been banned in Vietnam for many years, but it has recently reappeared in the form of clandestine sales through unofficial channels, posing a serious risk of poisoning.

The Poison Control Center and the Pediatric Center collaborated with the school to review and collect all remaining rat poison vials or suspected chemical residues on the school grounds.

Doctors also requested the school and nearby educational institutions to assess the risk of poisoning and recommended hospitalization for at-risk students. Simultaneously, the investigative agency was notified to find the source and severely punish any illegal trafficking of these toxic chemicals.

Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen emphasized that this incident once again warns about the potential dangers from toxic chemicals, and we need to be more proactive in ensuring the safety of children in schools. Increased supervision is needed to prevent similar poisoning incidents, especially when there is a risk from chemicals, pesticides, or other toxic materials.

This poisoning incident also serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting children from potential hazards in their surroundings, especially on school grounds.

Doctors advise parents and schools to always supervise and ensure the safety of children, especially against the risks of poisoning from chemicals, unsafe food, and other dangerous items.

Treatment and monitoring of the children are continuing, and doctors will provide updates on their health status after a more detailed assessment is available in the coming days.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/loi-canh-tinh-tu-vu-viec-32-hoc-sinh-ngo-doc-hoa-chat-d242706.html