Three Pakistani children reportedly became critically ill and died following a measle vaccine. One child died at their Nawabshah home while the other two passed away at the city’s People’s University Medical Hospital.
According to the same report, seven other children remain critically ill after taking the same vaccine in the city. Husnain Brohi, 5, Hania Noor, 6, and nine-month old Qamar Din died on March 4, 2018. News reports have confirmed the names of three of other seven children as Zubair, 5, Jannat, 4, and Tania, 3.
The parents claim that a health worker came to their Nawabshah homes on March 3rd and forced the vaccines on the children. The vaccines were reportedly expired. (source) The parents also claim the health worker did not follow correct protocol while administering the vaccines. They claim the health worker was carrying the vaccines inside of her purse. Residents in the region have now staged protests against the Health Department.
The Health Department claims to have found no cause of death as of yet. The Health Official who administered the vaccines has been taken into custody.
Commissioner Shaheed Benazirabad Ghulam Mustafa Phull has set up two different committees to investigate the matter.
Speaking to Dawn, Phull said that an inquiry is being conducted by the Health Department to check if there was any negligence on the part of staff, while a separate investigation would be conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
There are also reports that a disregard for vaccine administration protocol is a normal occurrence in the region.