New Delhi: In a horrific incident, 12 children all under the age of 5 were admitted to a government hospital after they were given hand sanitizer instead of polio drops in a village in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra, about 700 km from state capital Mumbai on Monday. Their condition has been reported as stable.
According to a PTI report, an official said that three healthcare workers who were present at the village polio vaccination drive will face action over the negligence. The incident was reported on Sunday at a primary healthcare centre in a village when the National Pulse Polio vaccination drive for children between 1-5 years of age began.
Yavatmal Zilla Parishad CEO Shrikrishna Panchal told PTI, that the children were admitted to Government Medical College in Yavatmal after they complained of vomiting and uneasiness.
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope told CNN News18 that the nurses present would not be allowed to continue working in the profession expressing his shock at the incident. He was quoted in the report, “This is shocking. I was myself shocked to hear about the incident. This is a glaring lapse. We will not tolerate this when it comes to the health of our children. We have suspended the three nurses now. But it will not stop at this. We will make sure that stricter action is taken. This is serious.”
While their condition is reported stable, children reported vomiting and uneasiness after receiving the sanitizer drops. Media reports say they are likely to discharged by today.
