Vadodara: 130 MSU students hospitalised after suspected food poisoning; university terminates caterer's services
Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, a few hours after dinner at the Girl's Hostel Mess at Sarojini Devi Hall at MSU, students began complaining of severe stomach ache, vomiting and diarrhoea, sources said.
The first set of patients began arriving at the SSG Hospital around 1.45 am Wednesday and at least 20 students were admitted during the early hours. By mid-morning, 130 students were admitted, said Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Dr Hitendra Chauhan.
The University has terminated 'the hiring of catering services' from the caterers, citing negligence on the part of the agency concerned.
According to a statement from the hospital on Wednesday, 'All patients have been admitted to various medicine wards at SSG Hospital where immediate symptomatic and specific medication and intravenous fluid therapy was initiated as per patients' clinical conditions. As of now, a majority of the patients are in stable condition. However, a few students require monitoring and treatment. Necessary investigation (has begun)… stool samples have been sent for ascertaining the cause.'
By Wednesday evening, 27 students still remained admitted while others were either discharged by doctors or had taken Discharge Against Medical Advice (DAMA), said officials.
A statement from MSU on Wednesday, issued by Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Public Relations and Communication, Prof Hitesh Raviya, said, 'In context of the recent incident of mass food poisoning at Girls' Hostel Mess, the University has terminated the hiring of catering services from Shilpa Caterers due to the negligence on the part of the agency leading to severe health issues of the students in the University campus and also the concerned agency shall not be considered eligible in the University in future as well.'
The hospital statement, meanwhile, said, 'A detailed investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the illness. Hospital authorities are closely coordinating with university officials and public health departments to ensure that appropriate containment and preventive measures are in place.'
Sources told The Indian Express that primarily, the cause of the suspected food poisoning could be the milk-based items consumed by students during dinner.
No complaint has been filed in the matter yet.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
12 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Hyderabad to get disease surveillance unit soon to boost epidemic preparedness
HYDERABAD: A Metropolitan Surveillance Unit (MSU), a special facility equipped to monitor and analyse disease patterns in urban areas, is set to become operational in Hyderabad within the next two months. Approved by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) under the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the MSU will enhance the city's preparedness for disease outbreaks, drawing from lessons learned during the Covid-19 pandemic. The MSU will function as a specialised disease surveillance hub, conducting advanced diagnostic testing for communicable diseases and issuing alerts for potential outbreaks. It will not handle routine lab testing but will focus on diseases listed under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), including anthrax, chickenpox, diphtheria, measles, meningitis, mumps, pertussis, Ebola, Zika, Nipah and yellow fever, among others. GHMC officials told TNIE that the MSU will serve as a crucial node for surveillance, early warning and rapid response to outbreaks. 'The objective is to strengthen urban public health systems by enabling data-driven action. MSUs will be the first line of defence in identifying and containing future epidemics,' they said.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Time of India
Mass food poisoning at MSU girls' hostel
Vadodara: A case of mass food poisoning at MS University's Halls of Residence (girls' hostel) revealed that the contractor hired for catering services in the hostel mess did not have a food licence. Panic spread at the university's girls' hostel after scores of students complained of vomiting and diarrhoea after dinner at the SD Hall mess on Tuesday night. A stream of ambulances started taking students to SSG Hospital from about 1.30am on Wednesday morning, leading to chaos at the hostel and the hospital. SSG Hospital authorities said 103 students were treated and many of them have been discharged. Hospital authorities said the condition of all students, including those who remained admitted, was stable. "Samples from all students have been collected," said RMO Dr Hitendra Chavan. Vadodara MP Hemang Joshi rushed to the hospital after the mass food poisoning was reported. Students had been served paneer sabji, kheer, rice and dal at the hostel mess. On Wednesday, food safety officers of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) inspected the SD Hall mess, while a group of ABVP-linked student leaders gheraoed MSU's in-charge vice-chancellor Professor Dhanesh Patel, demanding action. "Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, notice has been issued to the contractor as the agency was operating without a licence," a statement from the VMC said. It added that the university furnished two certificates revealing that the hostel mess water tank had last been cleaned on March 28, and pest control actions were last carried out on April 6, 2023. The VMC team sent 26 samples of raw materials, two of cooked food and six water samples for testing. "When MSU canteens and mess halls were checked earlier, we found that the operators did not have food licences. We issued notices to such operators and wrote to the university. When university officials give out contracts, they must check that the operators/agencies have the necessary food licences," said a VMC spokesperson. On Wednesday evening, MSU officials announced that the university had ended the contract for catering services with Shilpa Caterers, due to negligence on the part of the agency which led to severe health issues. "The agency shall not be considered eligible by the university in the future as well," a statement from the university said. The question of allowing any contractor to operate without the necessary food license does not arise as it is a pre-requisite," said MSU vice-chancellor professor Dhanesh Patel. "However, the contractor's services have been terminated for negligence that led to such serious health problems to our students and we have also blacklisted the agency."
Indian Express
09-07-2025
- Indian Express
Vadodara: 130 MSU students hospitalised after suspected food poisoning; university terminates caterer's services
At least 130 students of Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU), all women, were admitted to SSG Hospital during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday and later in the day, following suspected food poisoning, hospital authorities said. Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, a few hours after dinner at the Girl's Hostel Mess at Sarojini Devi Hall at MSU, students began complaining of severe stomach ache, vomiting and diarrhoea, sources said. The first set of patients began arriving at the SSG Hospital around 1.45 am Wednesday and at least 20 students were admitted during the early hours. By mid-morning, 130 students were admitted, said Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Dr Hitendra Chauhan. The University has terminated 'the hiring of catering services' from the caterers, citing negligence on the part of the agency concerned. According to a statement from the hospital on Wednesday, 'All patients have been admitted to various medicine wards at SSG Hospital where immediate symptomatic and specific medication and intravenous fluid therapy was initiated as per patients' clinical conditions. As of now, a majority of the patients are in stable condition. However, a few students require monitoring and treatment. Necessary investigation (has begun)… stool samples have been sent for ascertaining the cause.' By Wednesday evening, 27 students still remained admitted while others were either discharged by doctors or had taken Discharge Against Medical Advice (DAMA), said officials. A statement from MSU on Wednesday, issued by Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Public Relations and Communication, Prof Hitesh Raviya, said, 'In context of the recent incident of mass food poisoning at Girls' Hostel Mess, the University has terminated the hiring of catering services from Shilpa Caterers due to the negligence on the part of the agency leading to severe health issues of the students in the University campus and also the concerned agency shall not be considered eligible in the University in future as well.' The hospital statement, meanwhile, said, 'A detailed investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the illness. Hospital authorities are closely coordinating with university officials and public health departments to ensure that appropriate containment and preventive measures are in place.' Sources told The Indian Express that primarily, the cause of the suspected food poisoning could be the milk-based items consumed by students during dinner. No complaint has been filed in the matter yet.
