Maharashtra: 12 children administered sanitiser instead of polio drops at health sub-centre in Yavatmal

STAFF WORKERS at a health sub-centre in Yavatmal district allegedly administered sanitiser instead of polio drops to 12 children aged between one and five. While the children were later hospitalised at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Yavatmal, district health officials said they were fine and under observation for 48 hours. The staffers responsible will soon be suspended and an inquiry into the matter was underway, officials added.

“The children are absolutely fine and are under observation for 48 hours,” said Yavatmal District Health Officer Hari Pawar.

Krishna Panchal, Chief Executive Officer of Yavatmal Zilla Parishad, told The Indian Express, “The 12 children were administered two drops of sanitiser at Kapsi sub-centre of Bhambora public health centre (PHC) 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 GMCH.”

Asked if the children had developed any problematic health symptoms, Panchal said, “Only one child was vomiting. But even polio drops can cause that. But that’s not the issue. It’s about the staff’s negligence. We have started an inquiry and action will be taken against them.”

Panchal added, “This should not have happened because polio drops are in a bottle labelled with a vaccine viral monitor, which shows a particular colour indicative of appropriate temperature being maintained. So we are trying to find out if the three staff members were properly trained in the exercise of administering the polio dose. Normally, this responsibility rests with the medical officer of the PHC.”