Seven children were admitted to hospital five days after being administered pulse polio drops while 64 others were taken ill in Assam's Sonitpur district even as authorities denied media reports that the illness was related to the vaccination programmes on January 20. Joint Director of Health, Sonitpur, Dr Dhruba Hojai today said seven children were admitted to the Dhekiajuli hospital on January 25 last but five of them were later released while two were still under treatment.

Hojai denied these children were taken ill after being administered the dose under the Pulse Polio Immunisation Prigramme, as also the 64 others who were diagnosed to be suffering from diahorroea, fever and dehydration.
Denying reports published in a section of the media, Hojai claimed the illness of the children was not connected with the pulse polio immunisation as they were already suffering from the diseases when the dose was administered.
He admitted that the health workers were only instructed to administer the doses and were in no position to check whether any child was suffering from any previous disease at the time of administering the dose.
Sixty-four children were taken ill in Khatonibari village after being immunised but this was not connected with the programme, he said.
Pulse polio programme had received a setback in the state with response being very poor after 23 children died in November after being administered the dose with the state human rights commission holding the state government and the UNICEF responsible. Bureau Report