News / Health
Four children die in one week after being immunised
28 Jan 2013 at 22:49hrs | Views
There is panic in Zvishavane town following the death of four children in one week after they were immunised at Mandava Clinic.
Concerned mothers said they were now reluctant to have their children immunised following the deaths.
"We are very worried about what has happened at Mandava Clinic. The death of four children in just one week is very shocking and we want this incident to be investigated. How can four children die in a space of one week after being vaccinated at the clinic," said Mrs Talent Chisango, who claimed that her two-year-old boy was among the four who died last week after being vaccinated at the clinic.
Mrs Chisango said her child died upon admission at Zvishavane District Hospital on Tuesday.
"My child was vaccinated on Monday at Mandava Clinic and he was then referred to Zvishavane District Hospital after he reacted to the injection. His condition continued to deteriorate and he died on Tuesday morning," she said.
Another woman, Mrs Edith Kenepha, of Number F8 Mandava said her one-year-old daughter, Loice, died on admission at Zvishavane District Hospital on Thursday after she reacted to a vaccination from Mandava Clinic.
"When my child started vomiting after the injection, nurses at the clinic gave me $4 and advised me to hire a taxi so that my child could be rushed to Zvishavane District Hospital. I was disappointed upon on arrival at Zvishavane District Hospital when nurses appeared too hopeless when they saw my child's condition.
"This was after I told them that she had reacted to an injection after she was immunised at Mandava Clinic.
"I even heard one of the nurses, who were attending my child, passing some comments on my child. I was not surprised much when I received the sad news later on the same day that my child had died," she said.
The two women said two other children that were immunised at Mandava Clinic also died the same week.
An official at Mandava Clinic refused to comment on the matter referring this reporter to the provincial medical director, Dr Milton Chemhuru.
Dr Chemhuru, however, said he was yet to receive a report of children, who were reacting to vaccinations at Mandava Clinic.
"Officials from my office including the provincial nursing officer are in Zvishavane right now where they are having a district meeting. I am yet to get a report on that meeting and if such a serious case happened it should be captured in the report," he said
Concerned mothers said they were now reluctant to have their children immunised following the deaths.
"We are very worried about what has happened at Mandava Clinic. The death of four children in just one week is very shocking and we want this incident to be investigated. How can four children die in a space of one week after being vaccinated at the clinic," said Mrs Talent Chisango, who claimed that her two-year-old boy was among the four who died last week after being vaccinated at the clinic.
Mrs Chisango said her child died upon admission at Zvishavane District Hospital on Tuesday.
"My child was vaccinated on Monday at Mandava Clinic and he was then referred to Zvishavane District Hospital after he reacted to the injection. His condition continued to deteriorate and he died on Tuesday morning," she said.
Another woman, Mrs Edith Kenepha, of Number F8 Mandava said her one-year-old daughter, Loice, died on admission at Zvishavane District Hospital on Thursday after she reacted to a vaccination from Mandava Clinic.
"This was after I told them that she had reacted to an injection after she was immunised at Mandava Clinic.
"I even heard one of the nurses, who were attending my child, passing some comments on my child. I was not surprised much when I received the sad news later on the same day that my child had died," she said.
The two women said two other children that were immunised at Mandava Clinic also died the same week.
An official at Mandava Clinic refused to comment on the matter referring this reporter to the provincial medical director, Dr Milton Chemhuru.
Dr Chemhuru, however, said he was yet to receive a report of children, who were reacting to vaccinations at Mandava Clinic.
"Officials from my office including the provincial nursing officer are in Zvishavane right now where they are having a district meeting. I am yet to get a report on that meeting and if such a serious case happened it should be captured in the report," he said
Source - TC
