Maharashtra: 12 Children Given Sanitizer Instead Of Polio Drops

In a case of massive negligence, 12 children were administered sanitiser instead of oral polio vaccine. The shocking incident took place in a village in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra. The affected children, all below 5 years of age, were soon admitted to a government hospital. Reportedly their condition is said to be stable now. But are being kept under observation for 48 hours.

As per Krishna Panchal, Chief Executive Officer of Yavatmal Zilla Parishad, two drops of sanitiser were administered to the children at Kapsi sub-centre of Bhambora public health centre (PHC) in Ghatanji tehsil.

Krishna Panchal, Chief Executive Officer of Yavatmal Zilla Parishad, told The Indian Express, “The 12 children were administered two drops of sanitiser at Kapsi sub-centre of Bhambora public health centre (PHC) in Ghatanji tehsil. The three staffers there, community health officer, ASHA worker and anganwadi sevika, realised around 2 pm that the children were administered sanitiser instead of polio drops. So, the parents were called again and polio drops were administered. The local sarpanch got the information about the wrong dose and complained to higher authorities. The children were then brought to Yavatmal GMCH.”

He added that three healthcare workers – a doctor, Anganwadi sevika and an ASHA volunteer – were present at the PHC at the time of the incident. An inquiry is at present underway and orders will be issued to suspend all the three healthcare workers.

The incident took place on the Polio National Immunisation Day, which is observed on January 31.

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