Child given tainted measles vaccine in Nawabshah dies at Karachi hospital

One of the three children who had fallen sick after being given tainted measles vaccine during a campaign in Nawabshah a few days back died at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) in Karachi early on Saturday morning, raising the death toll to five.

The Sindh health department suspended two health officials and an education officer for showing negligence in the vaccination drive.

At least four children had died and another 10 had fallen sick when they were reportedly given contaminated measles vaccine in Nawabshah a few days back. Three of the seriously ill children had been shifted to the AKUH by their parents for treatment.

The parents of an 18-month-old child, Zubair Yousuf, confirmed that their child who was undergoing treatment at the AKUH died early on Saturday morning. The deceased was taken back to Nawabshah for burial.

The provincial health department suspended Senior Medical Officer Dr Sikandar Ali Rahi, Medical Officer Dr Amjad Ali Bhatti and Heath Education Officer Allah Bux Rajpar of Nawabshah for showing negligence in the vaccination drive.

An inquiry committee of health experts from the World Health Organisation, medical varsities and health department has discovered that infected syringes were used by health workers to vaccinate children, and that caused infection and allergic reaction in children, resulting in the deaths of four of them within a few hours. The 5th child died at Karachi’s hospital on Saturday.

The inquiry committee has also held Expanded Program on Immunisation’s (EPI) officials responsible for the deaths and misery caused to several other children, and has recommended that a complete overhaul of the EPI should be carried out to improve the vaccination of children in the province.

Only 20-22 per cent of children are vaccinated against nine major vaccine preventable diseases in Sindh though all vaccines are provided free. The health department has hired hundreds of people, including doctors, paramedics and vaccinators, to vaccinate children in the province.