Killa Saifullah district: Conflicting claims over death of five children

Parents claim children died after they were given anti-measles drops

QUETTA: While the unfortunate families claimed that their children died hours after they were administered anti-measles vaccination in Killa Saifullah district, Balochistan health minister rejected the claim, saying the five children were dead due to dehydration, diarrhoea and food poisoning.

“I think the media should have confirmed the news before publishing because it would affect the anti-measles campaign in Balochistan,” said Health Minister Balochistan Rehmat Saleh Baloch during a news conference at Quetta Press Club on Friday.  The minister has announced that a committee, headed by Additional Secretary Health Abdullah Khan Noorzai, will investigate the deaths of the five children.



“More than million children have so far been vaccinated during the last four days in 30 districts of Balochistan,” he said, adding that there would have been more deaths if vaccines were not good or expired. Rehmat Baloch said the other members of the committee include N-Stop officer Dr Aftab Kakar and the officials of Unicef and WHO.

Health Secretary Noorul Haq Baloch also said the cause of the children’s death is dehydration and vomitting.

However, Saadullah, the unfortunate father who lost his two children and three nephews, claimed that the children died hours after anti-measles vaccination was administered.

The stricken family told a press conference: “We have three houses, and around nine children were vaccinated and all of them are affected.”  At the same time, the health secretary responded that the committee will investigate the matter and if anybody was found guilty from the health department he will face serious action.

According to the health minister around 3.5 million children are being vaccinated in the 12-day anti-measles campaign in 30 districts.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 18^th, 2015.