HYDERABAD: Iron tablets given to adolescent girls made hundreds of them sick instead of improving their blood count.

A well-run racket in which Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) centres allegedly gave fake and spurious IFA tablets to adolescent girls after obtaining supplies from some firms, has been busted.

The tablets of these "drug companies", given to girls aged 11 to 17 under a scheme implemented in 2003, have been found to be fake and sub-standard -- "broken, powdered and discoloured." After consuming them, the girls developed fever and other complications. Many of them had to be hospitalised and they became more anaemic. The tablets supplied that year were worth Rs. 50 lakhs.

Worse still, the Vigilance & Enforcement Department, which probed the irregularity following spate of reports about girls falling sick in Krishna, Visakhapatnam, Khammam, Nellore and Prakasam districts, placed a former Director, Women Development & Child Welfare, at the centre of the scandal.

A report submitted by the department to the Government on Wednesday stated that she had delayed a relevant file for 10 months, set aside global bids and issued oral instructions to ICDS officials to show undue favour to Talasila, a firm at Kukatpalli, and select it for supply of the tablets. SP Diagnostics, Somajiguda, was among the other firms selected, it said. A former East Godavari Medical and Health Officer was found guilty of certifying the spurious tablets supplied.

In line with the recommendations of the Vigilance wing, the Government is contemplating launching action against the former Director and four DMHOs. It has decided to refer the "drugs firms" to the Director-General, Drugs Control Administration, and recover payments made.

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