August 16, 2006
The Binh Thuan province people’s committee – the local government – issued a statement Wednesday saying there wasn’t sufficient evidence to show Thanh Nguyen Kindergarten No 2 had added dexamethasone to the food it gave its children.
The announcement came a week after local police said there was nothing to incriminate the preschool.
Earlier, a clinical analysis on 117 children from the kindergarten found no sign of the steroid.
The province’s Preventive Health Center said two months ago that four out of five food specimens it had taken from the kindergarten had tested positive for the steroid.
But the people’s committee release said the process of sampling had been "loose and subjective". Further, Ho Dung Nhat, the province’s deputy mayor, instructed the center to discipline its officials responsible for the sampling and testing.
The police are continuing investigation of the case.
The kindergarten’s headmaster, Doan Thi Dung, has sued the health center for libel.
Dexamethasone, a corticosteroid used only on prescription, induces weight gain by water retention but could cause gastric ulcers, stomach bleeding, bone decay, increase in blood pressure, dizziness, flushing of face or cheeks, hiccups, joint pain, and nosebleeds.
