Chembur family claims infant died of vaccination

Family members of two-and-half-month-old boy, who died after being administered a vaccine at a private hospital in suburban Chembur, have accused the hospital authorities of medical negligence. Meanwhile, the RCF police have sent the body of the child to JJ hospital for post-mortern and are awaiting the reports.

According to the victim's family, the infant was given HIB vaccine at the hospital around1.30pm on Friday. He was found dead on Saturday morning.

"We had gone to the hospital to get the child vaccinated. The HIB vaccine was administered as part of routine vaccination. The baby was fine till Saturday, but this morning, we found that he had turned pale and was lying motionless. We rushed him to hospital to be told that he was already dead," said a family member, who added, "We took the baby to the same hospital again. The doctor and staff, however, arrived an hour later and attempted to hush up the matter."

The family has lodged a complaint in this regard at the RCF police station. "We have taken an accidental death report currently and have sent the body to JJ hospital for post-mortem. Once the report comes in, and if it confirms that the baby died due to the vaccination as alleged by the family members, we will register an FIR," said Dilip Raut, senior police inspector from the RCF police station. He added, "We have started our preliminary inquiry into the matter and the post-morterm report from JJ hospital will prove to be most crucial."