Child dies after receiving anti-polio vaccine in Bihar

After a child died and six others fell ill on Saturday in Bihar's Vaishali district after allegedly being administered polio drops, a team of doctors from Patna rushed to Hajipur to inquire into it, official sources said.

“The state health department has despatched a team of doctors from Patna to Hajipur to inquire into the matter,” Bihar health minister Ramndhani Singh said.

The incident occurred at anganwadi centre in Shahpur village near Hajipur, district headquarters of Vaishali, about 25 km from Patna, where children aged up to five were administered polio drops on Friday.

Vaishali civil surgeon Ramashish Kumar has ordered a probe into the incident.

“I have asked the concerned officials to ascertain whether incident is connected to the polio vaccine or not,” he said.

According to health officials in Patna, team of doctors would visit SadarHospital in Hajipur, where children undergoing treatment following fell ill and would also visit anganwadi centre in Shahpur to inquire into it.

“Some children fell ill after being administered polio vaccine and one died Saturday morning,” said Mukesh Singh, a close relative of one of the six children admitted to SadarHospital for treatment.

Singh said that children developed fever and suffered from vomiting and diarrhoea after being given the polio vaccine.

Bihar has remained polio-free for over four years, thanks to the state government's commitment supported by development partners in the polio eradication programme.

India was declared polio-free by the World Health Organisation in 2014 after no case was detected since 2011.

Image for representation only.