Kindergarten suspended for giving RX pills to kids for months  

西安一幼兒園長期給學生服食藥物被停業整頓

11日，上百名學生家長聚集在西安市楓韻幼兒園，質疑該園在他們不知情的情況下，長期給自己的孩子服用一種名為“ABOB”(俗稱病毒靈)的藥片，并引起不良反應。記者11日下午獲悉，目前該幼兒園已被停業整頓。西安市官員稱，可為服食過藥物的孩子們安排體檢。[查看全文]

Xi'an (ECNS) -- A kindergarten in northwest China's Shaanxi Province has been suspended for feeding white prescription-strength antiviral pills to 400 kids for several months behind parents' back, Chinanews.com reported.

The private kindergarten affiliated with Soong Ching Ling Foundation's Shaanxi branch was exposed Monday on Sina Weibo.

The head of the kindergarten said in an interview that he was trying to protect the kids from virus infections, but he didn't know whether the pills were OTC.

The pills were purchased from a pharmacy, and the decision was made to give them to the children after a discussion with the kindergarten's health director. He admitted that they didn't notify the parents or the local education authorities.

A director at the local hospital's pharmacy said the pills are not OTC, and are not recommended for children. Taking the pills over a long period may lead to side effects such as sweating and loss of appetite, he added.

Nearly 100 angry parents came to kindergarten Tuesday and demanded the kindergarten reveal how many pills were given to the kids and offer solutions to potential health problems.

One parent said the kindergarten doesn't want kids to be absent, as they have to return fees for food if a child misses more than three days, and half of the total fees if more than 10 days are missed.

Huang Xiaohua, deputy secretary-general of city government, told parents Tuesday afternoon that physical examination will be arranged for all kids.

The kindergarten was suspended and pills have been sent for chemical examination.

Local educational, police and disease control departments have made investigation on it.