Chennai: Two infants Saturday died at a government hospital here allegedly after they were administered BCG vaccine, prompting the state government to issue a clarification.
The infants, admitted to Government Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital, died this morning.
The parents alleged that the infants fell sick after they were administered BCG vaccination last week. The children were in the intensive care unit since then.
BCG vaccine is given to a new-born child to give him or her immunity from tuberculosis.
Stepping in to allay fears, the state government clarified that there would not be any side-effects due to vaccination given to children and advised pregnant women and infants to get the vaccine without fail.
"Currently, vaccination drive is being held in two phases
for pregnant ladies and to children. Apart from these vaccination programmes, every year about 12 lakh pregnant women and 11 lakh infants benefit out of the pulse polio immunisation camps conducted in the State", Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said in a statement.
"There is no possibility of side-effects arising out of
vaccination," he said.
The vaccines, after being subjected to various tests, are
kept in strict temperatures and then provided to the states by the Centre, he said.
"Vaccinations help infants develop immunity. Therefore,
pregnant ladies and infants are requested to get these vaccinations without any fail", he said.
