Fatehabad/Sirsa, May 23 The weekly iron and folic acid supplementation programme of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is facing roadblocks in Ratia block of Fatehabad due to recent incidents of schoolchildren falling ill after consuming iron and folic acid pills though the scheme is running well in rest of the district. In Ratia, where the incidents of kids' illness were on a higher side, the health authorities have put the distribution of pills on hold through informal orders, as they are facing resistance from the local people. Though the number of children, who experienced complications ranging from mild pain to nausea and vomiting after the first dose last week, is very small in comparison with the total number of children targeted under the scheme, the incidents had shaken the confidence of teachers and health officials alike. The scheme is working well in several schools falling under Fatehabad and Bhuna blocks, where barring a few incidents of minor pain, children are taking pills comfortably. Over 2,500 children in two senior secondary schools for boys and girls have taken these tablets without any complications. In Ayalki and Jandli Kalan too, 311 and 635 children consumed their pills, but in Jandli Khurd, eight children had been hospitalised. It seems there could be some factors attributed to the kids' own health or there are some other factors. Experts of the National Rural Health Mission maintain that consuming pills on empty stomach could cause problems, but teachers at Hamzapur, Bhunderwas and Burj, where children were taken ill, claimed that they gave tablets only after serving them midday meals. As the absorption of iron is enhanced with Vitamin C, experts advise that children could be given lemon water with these tablets. Krishan Kumar, Principal in Government Senior Secondary School, Jandli, said he had been giving tablets with ORS and kids in his schools were not experiencing any trouble. Children in the schools falling under Ratia block, where a Tribune team visited today, have not taken the second dose of the pills so far, though it was due on Monday. "As government servants, we are willing to implement the scheme, but the parents have strictly warned us against giving any repeat dose of the pills to their kids," said Kahan Singh, officiating head teacher in Government Middle School at Bhunderwas in Fatehabad. Similarly, in government schools at Hamzapur and Burj, where a number of children had taken ill after consuming the pills, teachers said health workers in the village had informed them that the department had asked to keep the programme on hold. Nirmal Kaur, an ANM at Burj, said she had stopped the distribution of the pills on directions of Dr Sunita Sokhi, in charge of Primary Health Centre, Bothan, who in turn, named Dr VK Jain, Senior Medical Officer of the Community Health Centre, Ratia, for not giving it. Dr Jain, however, denied having issued any such directions. In Baragura block of Sirsa, where over 100 children had experienced problems -- Sukhchain village (57 kids), Dhaba (15), Chiri (27) and Bappa (25 children) -- Dr Pankaj Sharma, in charge of the CHC, took a meeting of ANMs and was providing them training on how to give the tablets correctly.