BELAGAVI: Measles and Rubella (MR) vaccines have claimed the lives of three children in Belagavi district. The children were administered vaccines at a primary health centre on January 12. The health officials said they have launched a probe into the tragedy.
The three children who died after taking the vaccines have been identified as Pavitra Hulagur (13 months) and Madhu Umesh Karagundi (14 months), of Bochabal village, Ramdurg taluk, and Chetan (15 months), of Mallapur village of Ramdurg taluk.
According to the health officials, The routine monthly vaccine administration session was held in all the primary health centre in Ramdurg for two days on January 11 and 12. Nearly 21 children were administered MR and other vaccine shots at Salahalli Primary Health Centre on January 12. But four children who took the vaccines fell ill. Their condition soon deteriorated and three children succumbed while one child is in a critical condition in a local hospital.
The first dose meant for below one year was given to two children while the MR dose meant for above one year was given to two children. The Penta and Polio vaccine was given to 17 other children at the centre. After two hours, the four children who were given MR dose showed symptoms of uneasiness and diarrhea and were immediately rushed to Ramdurg taluk hospital.
Unfortunately, one child died in the taluk hospital while one succumbed after returning home. As the condition of two other children worsened, they were referred to BIMS hospital, Belagavi on the same day. However, one child died while giving treatment in the ICU on Saturday night.
Bhimashi Hadimani, gram panchayat member of Bochabal said "The administration of the monthly routine vaccine for children and Covid vaccination was arranged at a single vaccination centre in the Bochbal village. The health department officials were not cautious. There were lapses from their part," he claimed.
District Health Officer Dr SV Munyal said "The vaccination drive was arranged separately in the centre at Bochbal. After discussing with the pediatric specialist, we came to know that children might have become victims by the reaction of the vaccine. But, I had never seen such kind of reaction before. We found new symptoms like diarrhea, loose motion in children after MR vaccination. We have conducted a postmortem of one baby and did all the legal processes. On receiving information on 12 January, we formed a district-level Adverse Reaction Following Immunization (ARFI) committee and discussed this incident in the committee. We have collected the urine, stool, and blood samples and sent them to state-level and national-level laboratories for testing. I have also directed RCHO to submit a report by evaluating the vaccination process, protocol, vaccination storage, and distribution system in Ramdurg and further measures will be taken once we get reports,' he said.