Maharashtra children given sanitiser instead of polio drops ‘stable’, to be discharged soon

12 children, who were administered sanitiser instead of polio drops in a district in Maharashtra on Monday, are stable and will likely be discharged soon, ANI reported, quoting a health official. The incident took place on the second day of the polio vaccination drive.

“The 12 children were administered two drops of sanitiser at
Kapsi sub-centre of Bhambora public health centre (PHC) in Ghatanji tehsil,
Krishna Panchal, Chief Executive Officer of Yavatmal Zilla Parishad, told
Indian Express.

Three staff workers, a community health officer, an ASHA worker
and an anganwadi sevika, suddenly realised their mistake, and informed their
parents. In an attempt to rectify their mistake, they gave the children the
correct dose of vaccine and then took them to the Government Medical College
and Hospital (GMCH), Yavatmal, where the children were hospitalised.

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Purushottam, the father of one of the children, said, “My wife took our child for Polio drops. After they came back, an ASHA worker & Anganwadi worker called them again for drops. When I asked, the two said that the child was given sanitiser the first time, so they’re giving them drops now,” ANI reported. 

The local sarpanch complained to higher authorities after
gaining cognizance of the incident. The medical staff responsible will be
suspended soon and an inquiry will be made into the matter, officials said.

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When enquired about the children developing any health
problems, Panchal told Indian Express, “Only one child was vomiting. But even
polio drops can cause that. But that’s not the issue. It’s about staff’s
negligence. We have started an inquiry and action will be taken against them.”