Odapada: A newborn boy Wednesday died after being allegedly administered a dose of polio vaccine in Dhenkanal district.
The deceased was identified as two-month-old Sanjit, son of Dusmant Penthei from Barasahi of Kamalanga panchayat under Odapada block.
The parents of the deceased lodged a complaint with Kantabania police, alleging that their child died due to the reaction of immunisation.
According to reports, the infant was taken by his parents to Barsahi Anganwadi centre for immunisation Tuesday morning.
He was administered injected polio vaccine (IPV), pentavalent vaccine and vitamin supplement.
While the condition of the child was stable till Tuesday afternoon, his body temperature started rising by 5 pm.
Assuming that it could be the side effects of immunisation, Sanjit’s parents didn’t take him to a medical practitioner.
However, when the child developed respiratory problems in the night, his parents admitted him to the Angul hospital, where the doctors declared him dead Wednesday morning.
On being informed, a team of health officials visited the village.
Tension erupted after the family members and villagers held the health officials’ captive for hours, alleging that the medical staff was responsible for the infant’s death.
Normalcy was restored after the police personnel pacified the mob.
CDMO Dr Basudev Behera said, “The autopsy report will clarify matters. The child must have had some ailment which had not been diagnosed earlier. The death due to vaccination is highly unlikely as 40 other children who were also administered with the same injections are fine.”
