At least three children allegedly died from anti-polio injection in Peshawar's Shaheen Muslim Town, while four others were severely infected from the vaccination here on Monday. However, the provincial health authorities have rejected the reports.
The bereaved parents have said that condition of the children deteriorated after they received the injection on Sunday night. They were immediately shifted to the hospital where they lost the battle of life, the parents added. The funeral prayers of the deceased were offered in Akhunabad area.
On the other hand, the health department while taking notice of the incident has initiated probe of the deaths. The authorities say that they have received information of the death of one child however; further investigation is in process.
While addressing at an emergency press conference here on Monday, the Emergency Operation Centre Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Atif Rehman has rejected the reports about death of infants due to polio vaccination during an ongoing campaign in Peshawar.
He said that the use of polio vaccine in Pakistan is completely safe because of a large number of children were given same injection and drops in the country, despite that no death case or side affects were reported anywhere.
Flanked by EPI Director, Dr Ikram Shah, Unesco representative Dr Johar Khan, BMGF Dr Imtiaz Ali Shah, anti-polio drive provincial officer, Dr Alauddin, WHO representative Dr Abidi Nasir and others, he expressed condolence over the death of an infant in Bostan Baba, area of Peshawar city, saying the EoC stand with the bereaved family.
However, he said the death was linking with vaccinating of polio drops and injection, is strongly regrettable and baseless report. According to the initial reports, he said the Shehram s/o Irfan residence of Bostan Baba was died due to some medical complications last night, which was yet not confirmed.
Atif Rehman said the Secretary Health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Abid Majeed has constituted a high level committee, comprising on Deputy Commissioner Peshawar and two child specialists after the occurrence of the incident.