12 kids given sanitizer instead of polio drops in Maharashtra

Twelve children aged between one and five years were allegedly administered sanitiser instead of oral polio drops at a health centre in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra on Sunday (January 31).

The condition of the children, who were later admitted to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Yavatmal, is stated to be stable and they are under observation for 48 hours.

Officials said there healthcare workers responsible for the negligence would be suspended while an inquiry into the matter is underway.

A doctor, Anganwadi workers, and an ASHA volunteer were present at the PHC during the time of the incident.

The incident occurred during the National Pulse Polio vaccination drive at a primary healthcare centre in Bhambora.

Also read: Doctor behind Pulse Polio bats for COVID-19 vaccination policy

 “The 12 children were administered two drops of sanitiser at Kapsi sub-centre of Bhambora public health centre in Ghatanji tehsil. The three staffers there, community health officer, ASHA worker and Anganwadi sevika, realised around 2 pm that the children were administered sanitiser instead of polio drops. So, the parents were called again and polio drops were administered. The local sarpanch got the information about the wrong dose and complained to higher authorities. The children were then brought to Yavatmal GHCH,” Krishna Panchal, the chief executive officer of Yavatmal Zilla Parishad told media.

Panchal said only one of the children had vomited after being administered sanitiser, but said that it was normal even after being administered polio dose.

The CEO said the goof-up shouldn’t have happened as polio drops are properly labelled with a vaccine viral monitor, adding that it will be probed if the staffers at the hospital are trained in administering polio drops.

Yavatmal Collector MD Singh also visited the hospital and enquired about the condition of the children.