The Islamabad orphanage, Pakistan Sweet Homes, has been accused of serving “substandard” food by Dr. Ayesha Esani, with the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). A spokesperson for PIMS, Waseem Khwaja said, “The children were suffering from gastric diseases.”
The children almost immediately began complaining of stomach pains and other symptoms of food-borne illness. Some of the children became unconscious, with many of them also suffering diarrhea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
The children were rushed to PIMS, and as the situation went from bad to worse, additional children were sent to Polyclinic and Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi. All the children said they had eaten bread and milk for breakfast. A number of the children were admitted to the hospital.
Pakistan Sweet Homes patron-in-chief Zamrud Khan denies the allegations put forth by Dr. Esani, saying the children are not suffering from malnutrition, and the management makes sure the children are fed with quality food. Khan also said laboratory tests would be conducted on the food, reported the Dunyan News.
Even though most of the children are feeling better, Khan said that food will not be served to them without proper checking taking place first. Sweet Homes administration is standing behind the quality of the food they serve, but are saying that extreme weather and humidity may have played a part in the children getting sick.