MUMBAI: A two-month-old died this week after taking the BCG (Bacille Calmette Guerin) vaccine, given to prevent childhood tuberculosis, TOI has learnt.
The yet-to-be-named infant, the son of Chembur Naka resident Geeta Mane, was administered the BCG vaccine at a health post in Abhudaya Nagar on Tuesday. "BCG is usually given at birth, but health workers who had gone for a polio immunisation round realised that the child hadn't taken his BCG and he was subsequently given the shot at the health post,'' said a source, adding that the child died the next day.
Public doctors said it was the first time the infant was being immunised, and that the entire batch of BCG vaccines as well as the diluent in which it is mixed had been seized.
This case, and the death of two children after they were administered the Hepatitis B and DTP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) vaccines, come close on the heels of a spate of similar incidents in Chennai in which infants died after taking the measles vaccine.
Health officials however, still seemed unsure about the details of Geeta Mane's infant and were hesitant to link it to the vaccine, though the stocks have been sealed.
"He was a malnourished child. He had also travelled out of town and we can't attribute the death exclusively to vaccination,'' said executive health officer Dr Jairaj Thanekar, who also insisted that the child had been administered the Hepatitis B and DPT vaccines, like the other two kids.
TOI had in its Friday edition reported about the two deaths following vaccination. The first child, two-month-old Sunilkumar Sharma, had taken a dose of the DPT, Hepatitis B and polio vaccines at the Shatabdi sub-centre in Mankhurd on Tuesday and died a day later at Sion hospital. Then 48-day-old Tahira Ansari died on Friday after she was administered the DPT (triple dose) and Hepatitis B vaccines at the Oshiwara maternity home.
Health officials said they stopped the use of vaccines from the batch concerned across Maharashtra and there was no reason to panic. Samples had been sent to the Central Drug Laboratory in Kasauli to test for contamination.
"Three deaths were reported and the children had received multiple vaccines. These are rare events and it is unfortunate that this time they have occurred in such a close span,'' said the director-general of health services, Dr Prakash Doke.
madhavi..rajadhyaksha@timesgroup.com
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