Girl dies, 52 ill after malaria tablets in Andhra Pradesh

A seven-year-old girl has died and more than 50 people, mostly children, have fallen ill after taking chloroquine tablets distributed during an anti-malaria drive in a village in Andhra Pradesh's Polavaram district. The incident has prompted the state's Chief Minister to order a high-level investigation. The tragedy unfolded in Gollaguppa village, located on the Andhra Pradesh-Telangana border, on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Health officials from the Lakshmipuram Primary Health Centre administered the antimalarial tablets to 71 residents as a preventive measure following a surge in malaria cases in the area. According to District Collector K. Dinesh Kumar, at least five malaria cases had been reported in the village by that day. Shortly after taking the medication, many recipients began to feel unwell. The seven-year-old girl, identified as Madivi Jamuna, a second-grade student, lost consciousness and was first taken to a local primary health centre. She was subsequently transferred to the Bhadrachalam Area Hospital in Telangana for advanced care, where she died during treatment. Her condition was attributed to a drop in blood glucose levels.