K-P probe reveals infant's death caused by allergic reaction, not polio vaccine

Locals blame inoculation, stage a protest against polio workers

PESHAWAR: Polio workers in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) have ruled out the possibility that an inactivated polio vaccine was behind the death of an infant with the real cause being ascertained as an allergic reaction.

Anaphylaxes, an allergic reaction, which only occurs in rare cases and within the first 15 to 30 minutes was behind the deaths.

Officials held a media briefing in the wake of the victim's parents alleging the three children died after being administered inactivated polio vaccine.

The infant was shifted to hospital after he fell ill following an Anti-polio Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) campaign to boost kids’ immunity against the disease.



Initial investigation carried out into the death of four-month-old Shahram confirmed that he was administered the IPV back on April 26.

Upon falling ill he was shifted to a private clinic with a high fever and then to Paracha Nursing Home on April 28.

According to sources, the children fell sick 10 hours after they were administered with the vaccine.

The locals blamed the inoculation and staged a protest in this regard.

The child was diagnosed with acute-gastroenteritis, dehydration and febrile fits owing to high fever.

Shahram was then referred to Lady Reading Hospital on April 28 where he died.

Around 300 kids of the same locality in Gulabad area of the provincial capital had been administered IPV.

"Not only Shahram but 59 other kids were immunised against at the same venue with 300 kids of the same locality administered the IPV,” a senior official involved in anti-polio campaigns told The Express Tribune.

“Believe me this is the safest vaccine across the world and even in the rare cases that there is a reaction it can be prevented ,” the official informed.