Mangalore: Stomach this - Dead lizard found in food at Wenlock hospital

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)

Mangalore, Mar 21: In a stomach-churning incident, a patient who was admitted to Wenlock Hospital found a dead lizard in the food provided at the hospital.

The patient, Dinesh from Hassan, was admitted to Wenlock hospital a month ago.

On Friday March 21, Dinesh placed an order for lunch from the hospital. When the food was brought, he found a dead lizard on his plate of rice and curry.

The incident was brought to the notice of hospital supervisors. It is said that the food at the hospital is outsourced.

Although the food was served to around 300 patients, nobody's health was affected, sources said.

DMO clarifies

The distric medical officer (DMO) and superintendent of Wenlock Hospital, who oversees food supply to the patients, has dismissed the charge of a lizard making its way into rice as mere rumour. 

DMO Dr Rajeshwari Devi rejecting the charge made by Jayamma, mother of a patient named Dinesh, of finding a dead lizard in the lunch provided to him, said that there is no chance of a lizard falling into the food, as steamed food is provided by the hospital.

She further said that when hospital helpline officials went to inspect the food, they found no lizard in it.

She pointed out that the patient, to whom food was served at 12 noon, had thrown the food away at around 2 pm, without bringing to the notice of her or any of the hospital staff the fact that a lizard was found in his food.

Adding that all 750 patients in the hospital were served lunch on Friday, and she noted that none of them had complained about the food (except Dinesh) or suffered from any side effects of consuming poisonous or contaminated food. She stated that the sample of the food prepared on Friday had been sent to the laboratory for testing.