Two children in Bihar die after vaccination

Patna, Dec 30 (IANS) Two children, including an infant, died after being administered vaccines in a Bihar village, health officials and parents said Tuesday.

A 20-day-old boy died Monday, a day after he was administered DPT and BCG vaccines in Kamrauli village of Darbhanga district, about 200 km from here.

'My child died a day after he was administered vaccines by health volunteers,' the boy's unconsolable mother Neetu Devi said. She said that she took the newborn for vaccination after being persuaded by an immunisation campaign, but it cost his life.

A two-year-old boy in the same village also died after he was administered the vaccines.

His mother Lalita Devi said: 'He was healthy before vaccines. But he developed a high fever and showed sign of weakness before he died.'

The parents are demanding action against the health officials.

Villagers alleged that health volunteers used infected syringes for the vaccines.

Reports said several children have fallen ill in the village and neighbouring areas in Darbhanga district after vaccines.

'There was nothing wrong with the vaccines but we will investigate the matter,' Darbhanga civil surgeon Lakhinder Prasad said.

Prasad said a team of medical officer will probe the deaths.

Every year, over 25 million children are born in India. An infant needs to be given these vaccines in the first nine months.