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U.P. blames Centre for vaccine deaths

LUCKNOW: In what is turning out to be a State versus the Centre match, the Uttar Pradesh Government has refused to take the blame for the four immunisation deaths in Mohanlalganj tehsil of Lucknow on August 21.

In a letter sent to Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday, State Medical and Health Minister Anant Kumar Mishra has said that prima facie it appears that the four deaths were caused by sub-standard vaccines. Mr. Mishra has demanded that financial help of Rs.10 lakh be given by the Centre to each of the four bereaved families.

The Health Minister said since measles, BCG vaccine, syringes and Vitamin-A syrup are supplied to all the states by the Centre, it is necessary to check their quality. Mr. Mishra said the samples of the vaccine used on August 21 have been sent to the Central Drug Laboratory, Kasauli, Madhya Pradesh and its report is awaited.

No headway has been made to identify the cause of death of the four children who passed away within an hour after being administered measles, BCG and Hepatitis B vaccines. The kids belonged to Bindauwa, Padminkheda and Rampur Garhi villages.

Five family welfare employees attached to the Community Health Centre, Mohanlalganj, including a medical officer, were suspended following the immunisation deaths.

Three days have elapsed since the incident sent tremors through the health and family welfare circles of the State but the cause of the deaths is yet to be ascertained by the Central team of health officials led by the Deputy Commissioner of Health, Ajay Kheda, and the one constituted by the UP Government. The State team is headed by the Head of Paediatrics Department, Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University, G. K. Malik.

The separate probes by the Central and State governments were constituted immediately after the immunisation deaths. A magisterial inquiry has also been ordered by the State Government. It is being conducted by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Mohanlalganj, S. K. Chaudhary.

Meanwhile, the UP Government has blamed the Centre for the supply of sub-standard vaccines, syringes and Vitamin-A syrup. The allegation has been based on the findings of the G. K. Malik committee. An official press release issued late on Monday night said that during the course of investigations Dr. Malik emphasised that the quality of the vaccines, syringe and Vitamin-A syrup should also be checked and its “report submitted at the earliest”.

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U.P. blames Centre for vaccine deaths

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