Three nurses at a Primary Health Centre in Ghatanji’s Kapsi-Kopari village in Yavatmal district in eastern Maharashtra were suspended late on Monday evening, after a shocking lapse of administering hand sanitizers to 12 children instead of the oral polio vaccine drops came to light.
The Yavatmal district authorities initiated action against the three nurses after taking after a preliminary investigation into their alleged act of negligence. The incident took place on Sunday morning when the district authorities launched the polio vaccination programme under the national immunization drive.
In all, 2,000 small children aged from one year to five years had gathered along with their parents for the polio vaccination programme venue, at that time.
During this vaccination drive, some of the children were administered oral drops of sanitizers instead of the polio drops. After the vaccination, a dozen children complained of nausea, cramps and started vomiting, triggering panic among the parents and health officials present at the programme venue.
All the affected children aged from 1 year to 5 years, were rushed to the local Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College & Hospital for treatment. “All the children are now stable now. They are under constant observation. Once they recover fully, we will discharge them either tomorrow on Wednesday morning,” the VNGMCH’s Dean Dr. Milind Kamble said.
Kamble said that the intake of hand-sanitizing liquids was not fatal. “The liquid contains around 70 per cent alcohol. The alcohol may create complications for children. Not much to worry about their condition,” the hospital's dean said.
Yavatmal Collector M. Devender Singh, who had visited the hospital and enquired about the condition of the children on Sunday night, asked Yavatmal Zilla Parishad CEO Shrikrishna Panchal to investigate the incident. After Panchal’s preliminary inquiry, three nurses on duty at the time were suspended.
Panchal said that the nurses apparently mistook bottles of sanitisers placed nearby to be the vaccine drops and administered them to the unsuspecting kids even “We are also looking intro looking into the role of another three health workers,” he said.
Shiv Sena leader and Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavlamban Mission President Kishore Tiwari suspected that it could be a case of “deliberate sabotage”. He said that he would visit the affected village on Tuesday for a spot assessment.