The Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) has suspended the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) in Gujarat for the time being after four infants were reported to have died after being vaccinated for measles on March 16. It was reported that these children died within half hour of being vaccinated with measles vaccine brand named Abhay-M belonging to batch number MES 10/10 manufactured by the human biological institute, a division of Hyderabad-based Indian Immunological Ltd.

Out of the four infants who were reported to be dead, three were from the public private unit of the Rambaugh Hospital and one was from the nearby slum area in Gandhidham.

Following the intimation, the Gujarat FDCA has already withdrawn 227 vaccines belonging to batch number MES 10/10 from across the state. Whereas they have collected samples from 13 other batches and have sent them to Central Research Institute (CRI) Kasauli for further testing.

H G Koshia, commissioner of the Gujarat FDCA informed, “The government has set up a high level committee under the health department to investigate the matter. Till then we have suspended the programme to avoid further complications. As of now, we do not know the reason for the death and are waiting for the lab reports. We have already informed the DCGI and the Drugs Control Administration Hyderabad about the same and an enquiry is on.”

Under the central government scheme, the Indian Immunological Ltd is authorised to supply the measles vaccines across India for the EPI programme. As of now, there is no report to support the cause of the death in the infants. Drug officials inform that the death could have been caused due to any reasons like severe reaction among the children against the vaccine, or due to wrong way of administering the vaccine or due to wrong storage conditions.