A serious incident in Baloda Bazar district, Chhattisgarh, resulted in 78 schoolchildren receiving anti-rabies vaccinations. This action was taken after a stray dog contaminated the mid-day meal at a government school. Despite the knowledge of the contamination, the food was served to the children, necessitating the preventative vaccinations. The incident occurred on July 29 at the government middle school in Lachhanpur, Palari block. An investigation is ongoing to determine the details of the incident. Initial reports indicate that a stray dog came into contact with the vegetables prepared for the meal. Although some students informed the teachers, the self-help group responsible for the food preparation chose to serve the contaminated vegetables, with roughly 84 children consuming the meal. Parents have expressed strong reactions to the event and demanded that those responsible be held accountable. They also requested the removal of the self-help group. Health officials confirmed the anti-rabies vaccine was provided as a precaution. The local health official also mentioned that the decision to vaccinate was made due to the requests from the community, parents, and members of the School Management Committee.
