Bodies of infants exhumed

Mustarina Bibi alleged that her son died due to the vaccination and negligence of sub centre health workers

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 17 MAY: The district administration today exhumed bodies of two infants, who allegedly died after being administered routine vaccination in Gazole police station area. The bodies would be sent for autopsy.

The administration undertook the job following complaints lodged by the mothers of the two babies. The BDO, a deputy magistrate and police officials exhumed the bodies from the Sheikh Para village this afternoon and sent those to the district hospital. It may be noted that the district health authorities had organize routine immunization programme ( DPT and BCG) for babies at Sheikh Para sub ( health) centre in Gazole on 12 May.

According to the chief medical officer of health in Mada, 10 infants were administered vaccines at Sheikh Para sub entre and two of them Rehan Reza (five months) and Najim Ansari (three months) died after 48 hours triggering tension in the area. Angry villagers confined health workers and officials at the sub centre on 14 May when they went to examine the condition of other infants who had been vaccinated as well.

One of the complainants Mrs Mustarina Bibi alleged that her son died due to the vaccination and negligence of sub centre health workers. “The vaccines were not stored properly and were lying open on the table”, she alleged adding that her son died on way to hospital after suffering convulsions. The other complainant Mrs Aktari Begam made similar allegations and held the health workers responsible for the incident.

“The health centre supervisor asked as to bury the bodies to suppress the matter”, Mrs Begam further alleged.

“We are not averse to examining the dead infants to learn the exact cause of death. The experts would examine the bodies tomorrow and try to conduct autopsy. If they fail they would suggest us if the bodies needed to be sent to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, Siliguri or in Kolkata for the autopsy”, said the Malda CMOH.

The CMOH, however, claimed that the two infants died after 48 hours from the time of vaccination. “It seems they died of other problems such as high temperature. The rest of the infants vaccinated are fine”, the CMOH said.