4-year-old dies after polio vaccination

“Though we have very little doubt that the vaccine lead to the child’s death,we are investigating the matter. The inquiry committee will soon submit its report,” said Dr C M Kaneju,Officer on Special Duty (OSD),Pulse Polio Programme.

The child was given OPV at the Todapur Aanganwadi Centre along with 150 other children—among them was Ashish’s younger brother. “All children were given drops from the same vial and none of them have reported any side effect. We are monitoring their condition,” said Professor Kiran Walia,Health and Family Welfare Minister,Delhi.

Along with US Ambassador A. Peter Burleigh,who is the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Mission in India,and

Delhi Mayor Kanwar Sain,Walia was part of a polio camp at the Maternal and Child Welfare Centre in South Delhi on Sunday.

Walia said there was no reason to doubt the quality of the vaccine. “We are certain that this unfortunate incident is because of other factors,” she said.

According to Ashish’s family,he died soon after reaching home from the anganwadi centre. “He was perfectly fine after coming home. He suddenly started crying and clenched his teeth. We took him to a health centre where the doctor said he was serious. I called the police,” said Ashish’s father Shankar Giri,who works as a security guard. The police took Ashish to RML Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. Ashish has two siblings aged two and seven.

The family had migrated to Delhi from Samastipur in Bihar over 20 years ago. They live in Todapur village near Patel Nagar in a single-room shanty.