–into toddler’s death allegedly after drinking filaria pill

THE Public Health Ministry has launched an investigation into the death of a six-year-old Sophia girl, who allegedly died days after drinking a tablet developed to prevent filaria.

Dead is Princess Kissoon of ‘E’ Field, Sophia, and a pupil of the Sophia Nursery School.

Kissoon’s relatives are alleging that shortly after drinking half of an albendazole tablet, she fell ill and days later died in the hands of her father.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle on the death of his only daughter, Ray Kissoon said he was on the road when he was approached by health workers carrying out the Mass Drug Administration (MDA) aimed at eliminating lymphatic filariasis.

He said that upon learning that his family had not taken the filaria pills, the health workers reportedly gave him two types of tablets for himself, his daughter and his foster son.

Kissoon said that on Wednesday last, after eating lunch with his family, he decided to drink the tablet, and administer same to his children.

“We cook and eat. I give her half of the long, big tablet, and I use one, and I give her brother one. We didn’t drink the smaller ones,” Kissoon recalled.

After drinking the tablet, he said, Princess appeared normal for the remainder of the day on Wednesday, but by Thursday morning, she was crying out for pain about her body. “She was crying saying she foot, hand and all over hurting,” her dad said. “Me and she brother rub she up with oil, and the pain ease,” he further detailed.

However, by Friday, she’d reportedly developed a high temperature, and begun to vomit. “Friday I left to go on the road and when I come back, she brother tell me how she stop eating,” Mr Kissoon said, adding:
“She ain’t eating nothing; she ain’t talking. She had roasting fever, and then de vomiting start.”

On seeing that, he said, he decided to rush his Princess to the hospital, but by then it was too late. She was pronounced Dead Before Arrival (DBA) at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC).

“It hurt me; it hurt me so bad. Is that tablet kill meh only child, and now dem lying,” Kissoon said as he broke down in tears.

The post mortem was conducted on Monday, but according to Kissoon, after waiting for hours, he was told that the cause of death was inconclusive, and that the family should proceed with their funeral arrangements.

The child’s aunt, Ms Jenny Samaroo said that her niece had never before had any health issues. “She was a healthy, healthy child! Before she drink that tablet, she was healthy; and soon after, she get sick! Man something wrong!” Samaroo said between tears. She, too, said she has her suspicions about the outcome of the post mortem.

When the Guyana Chronicle visited the GPHC, it was told that when the child’s father took her to the hospital at around 16;30hrs, she had no clinical signs of life, meaning that she was already dead.

It was also pointed out that the child was sick two days before she was taken to the hospital.

When the Public Health Ministry was contacted, this newspaper was told that the incident had been brought to their attention and an investigation has already been launched.

The Public Health Ministry, through its Vector Control Services Unit, is currently carrying out a Mass Drug Administration aimed at eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis. During the campaign, two sets of tablets are given to persons as a single dose; one is albendazole, and three are Diethylcarbamazine (DEC).

These tablets reduce the presence of micro-filariae in the blood, the parasites that cause Lymphatic Filariasis, commonly called “Big Foot” or “Filaria”.