Women throng hospitals with mehndi itch

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Over 100 young Muslim women thronged the casualty ward of Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital late on Sunday evening with red, itchy palms after they suffered an allergic reaction to mehndi.

Doctors received dozens of patients complaining of a burning sensation in their hands and feet after they applied mehndi, ahead of celebrating Eid on Monday.

“Last evening, we treated 109 women as out-patients. We gave them anti-histamine tablets and sent them away as they did not have serious symptoms. However, four women had to be admitted for treatment. They are fine now. They will be discharged on Tuesday morning,” said Dr V. Kanagasabai, dean, Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital.

Incidents across state

Ramzan celebrations turned out to be a dampener in Salem, Krishnagiri and other parts of western TN after rumours made the rounds that 10 children had died in Bengaluru suburbs after applying mehndi for Id celebrations.

As rumours spread like wildfire, panicked parents woke up their sleeping children and washed away the mehndi on their hands and feet to ensure the kids were safe.

“Many parents even rushed to the nearest government hospital and were sent back home by doctors who dismissed the rumours,” said Salem district president of TN Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, Mr Sheikh Mohammed.

In Krishnagiri, the jamaths announced about the alleged death of a few in Bengaluru following the use of ‘mehndi cones’ sold in the market.

The announcement made in a jamath of Shoolagiri, on the Chennai-Bengaluru NH in Krishnagiri, saw 22 Muslim women and children get admitted to a government hospital there.

“Within 20 minutes of applying mehndi designs on her hands, my 5-year -old daughter complained of itching in her palms. I immediately made her wash off the henna, but an hour later, her skin began breaking out in red patches. She began to cry...,” says Shafee Khan, who rushed his 5-year-old daughter Nausheen to the government Royapettah hospital.

“I was shocked to see at least 150 others waiting there, with the same problem,” he says. After initial treatment at GRH, Mr Khan took his little girl to a private pediatrician, who gave her medicines. “She’s much better now, the burning has stopped, but it has put a dampener on our Eid.”

Dr M.L. Sampath, block medical officer for Shoolagiri, warned against the use of synthetic mehndi cones as they use harmful chemicals like para-phenylenediamine (PPD), which could lead to skin problems.