A medical officer and five other staff at the suburban Kalliyoor Primary Health Centre (PHC) near Thiruvanthapuram were placed under suspension pending inquiry into the incident involving the administering of wrong injections to over 200 children on Wednesday.

An estimated 226 patients, a majority of them children, had been given insulin injections instead of the scheduled Hepatitis immunisation dose. The children were supposed to have undergone their second schedule of immunisation against Hepatitis after the first scheduled on January 5.

The children were admitted to the SAT Hospital and the General Hospital with general symptoms of drowsiness. Administering of glucose, orally or intravenously, to boost blood sugar levels was the treatment modality.

According to the District Medical Officer, K. Shailaja, all but two of the 198 child patients admitted to the SAT Hospital had been discharged after confirmatory blood sugar checks. The mass arrivals had to be accommodated in as many as three halls. An adult woman patient was under treatment at the Medical College Hospital.

By afternoon, the discharged children were taken home in specially arranged transport vehicles.

Meanwhile, an irate mob staged protests in front of the SAT Hospital demanding stringent action against those responsible for the bungle.

Of the 27 patients at the General Hospital, 25 had been discharged and taken home in specially arranged transport vehicles.

The condition of the inpatients with signs of hypoglycemia is stated to be not serious but are being retained at hospital for observation as children with dipping blood sugar levels are prone to have seizures.

The children, under five years of age, had been given half a cc of insulin amounting to 20 units of the hormone while adult children were administered double the dosage. ``We are viewing the lapse seriously,'' the Director of Health Services, V. K. Rajan, said. The preliminary inquiry by the DMO had pointed to a supervisory lapse.

According to Dr. Rajan, the Health Department is in the process of incorporating Hepatitis vaccines in the Universal Immunisation Programme. However, Hepatitis vaccines are included in the Central Purchase Committee and are included in the immunisation schedule at some PHCs.

Though childhood immunisation against Hepatitis is a national programme, the scheme is yet to take off in Kerala. The scheme is to start the programme on a pilot basis in Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta.

Meanwhile, K. T. Kuttamoni, Additional Director (FW) and officer-in-charge of the immunisation programme, has been directed hold a detailed inquiry into the incident and submit a report to the Health Secretary, K. Ramamoorthi.