By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
Lucknow: Four children died in Mohanlalganj area of Lucknow soon after being administered measles vaccine followed by drops of Vitamin A solution on Saturday. The vaccination was being done in an immunisation camp organised at an anganwadi centre under Nigoha Primary Health Centre (PHC) by the health department. Furious over death of the children, the parents alleged that the death was due to the vaccine.
The four children namely Rekha, Sahil, Satyam Kumari and Sania belonging to villages of Bindauva, Rampur Garhi and Padmin Kheda villages of the Mohanlalganj were brught by their parents for immunisation. All the children were below two years of age, the youngest being six months old.
The SDM Mohanlalganj, JP Chauhan who had reached the scene stated that the information arrived at 11 am that some childrne had fallen ill after being administered vaccines. By 11:30 when SDM reached the scene, the children had died.
According to locals, the children fainted soon after being administered vaccine. Their eyes rolled back and some fluid started coming out of their mouth (convulsion like symptoms). Soon the news spread like wild fire and the immunisation drive in adjoining 41 villages came to grinding halt. Health officials and district administration too reached the scene but could not ascertain the cause of death. District Magistrate Anil Sagar, DIG Rajeev Krishna, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr AK Shukla, Director General, Family Welfare Dr SP Ram all were perplexed over the incident.
CMO Dr Shukla stated that the irate villagers held the doctor, three ANMs and pharmacist of the Nigoha PHC hostage for several hours. Both DM Anil Sagar and DIG Rajeev Krishna in a soothing tone stated that guilty will not be spared.
DM announced a compensation of Rs 25,000-50,000 will be provided. One of the family whose another child is physically disabled will be given pension.
Health experts meanwhile opined that the death after vaccination could occur if an expired vaccine is administered. The vaccine whose cold chain has been snapped also comes under expired category or not fit for human use.
Reacting over the incident, DG (FW), Dr SP Ram said: “I physically verified the stock of vaccines present at the aanganwadi centre. Neither the vaccine had expired (date of manufacture: May 2009 and date of expiry: may 2011) nor was there any problem in the cold chain.”
However, the locals are not buying the reason that four children can die at a same time under similar circumstances. The bodies have been sent for postmorterm and report is expected within next 24 hours.
In a punishment exercise, six officials including Medical Officer Dr K P Upadhyay of PHC Nigoha, Incharge, Cold-chain CP yadav, nursess Christina Charan and Afsari Bano and ANM Usha Verma have been suspended. Show cause has also been given to the Dr KS Trivedi, the superintendent of Mohanlalganj Community Health Centre (CHC).