Gujarat: Girl died due to MR vaccine complications, alleges kin

Palanpur: A 3-year-old girl died after falling ill in Gujarat's Banaskantha district, with her family blaming her death on the Measles-Rubella vaccine which was administered to her.

Officials dismissed claims that she died due to complications from the vaccine. They said that she was administered the MR vaccine along with over 30 children and none of the others fell ill.

A MR vaccination drive for 1.6 crore children, aged between nine months and 15 years, is underway in the state since July 16 under the aegis of the Union government's National Health Mission (NHM).

Asha Devda, the daughter of a farm labourer, had taken ill yesterday and was rushed to the government health centre in Danta town where she died today, said officials.

The family alleged that the toddler died due to complications due to the MR vaccine, a Danta police official said, adding that an accidental death report was taken in this connection.

Chief District Health Officer Arun Acharya said that Asha was administered the MR vaccine along with over 30 children at an Anganwadi in Danta on July 31.

"None of the children, apart from Asha, fell ill. Two of her elder brothers, who were administered the vaccine, are also fine. Her body had been sent to the Ahmedabad civil hospital for post-mortem," Acharya said.

Her death is the fifth in the state since the drive began. A four-member Adverse Effect Following Immunisation (AEFI) Committee, headed by the Deputy Commissioner (Immunisation) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, had on July 28 said these deaths were not connected to the vaccine.

Earlier, Sneha Rathod (14) from Sabarkantha, Mukesh Gameti (7) from Arvalli, Dimple Maheshwari (13) from Kutch and Sunil Thakor (12) from Ahmedabad had died within five days of being administered the MR vaccine.