Of the 47 medical students of Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) girls’ hostel who had been admitted to Victoria hospital with acute gastroenteritis (GE), two have tested positive for cholera, hospital authorities said.
Mohammed Mohsin, Principal Secretary, Medical Education, who visited the hospital and inspected the girls’ hostel, said the students’ condition is stable.
“While 21 students have been discharged, the reports of stool samples of the remaining students that were sent for culture and sensitivity test are awaited,” Mr. Mohsin told The Hindu.
Pointing out that they are being treated with antibiotics and IV fluids, he said the BBMP has been informed about the cases as cholera is a notifiable disease. “Of the 700 students in the BMCRI girls’ hostel, only 47 developed symptoms. The water samples from the girls’ hostel have tested negative for cholera,” he said.
With the two BMCRI cholera cases and two more reported from the city’s outskirts on Saturday, the total number of confirmed cholera cases in the State in 2024 has now touched 10, said Health Commissioner Randeep D.
Warden suspended
Mr. Mohsin said he has directed the BMCRI Dean to place the girls’ hostel warden Akhilandeshwari under suspension immediately. “The food inspector has been instructed to visit all the kitchens in BMCRI and attached hospitals and recommend food hygiene, if it is not being maintained,” he said.
“The housekeeping agency M/s. Detectwell has been instructed to regularly clean all the floors, kitchens, and toilets of the hostel on a shift basis. Also, manual attendance in the girls’ hostel will be stopped immediately, and biometric attendance will be started,” he said.
“The Dean informed that neither the warden nor the students of the girls’ hostel had brought to his notice regarding the poor sanitation and unhygienic conditions in the hostel. There is a gross shortage of hostel facilities for the BMCRI students, as the number of students has increased, and BMCRI is also accommodating students from Government Dental College and Research Institute. There is a proposal to construct an additional hostel on Palace Road in Gandhinagar at an approximate cost of ₹65 crore,” he said.
Suo motu case
Following the outbreak, Nagalakshmi Chowdhary, chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women, who inspected the girls’ hostel and visited the ailing students, took up a suo motu case against the medical college authorities. “I have found that the complaints regarding poor sanitation and unhygienic conditions in the hostel are true. There are bedbugs in the hostel and the kitchen is not maintained properly. I have sought a report from the Dean and recommended action against the warden,” she said.
Following this, BMCRI Dean and Director Ramesh Krishna K. said in a statement that remedial measures are being taken in the girls’ hostel.
“A sum of ₹2 crore has been approved for renovation and upgradation of the existing hostels. The Principal Secretary has instructed us to submit the file for immediate approval of repairs, renovation, and upgradation of all the hostels,” the statement said.
