Death, sickness following Rubella vaccination :

Ministry orders full probe

Uditha KUMARASINGHE and Irangika RANGE

Leader of the House, Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told parliament yesterday a full scale investigation will be conducted to probe into the death of a student and another 26 students of St. Thomas' Girls' School, Matara who fell sick after the Rubella vaccination.

Following the investigations, Health Ministry officials will take stern action against doctors and Ministry officials if they are found to be at fault.

The Minister said that he has also requested the WHO to conduct an immediate investigation to find out the scientific reasons for this student's death while making another 26 students ill after Rubella vaccination.

The Minister was responding to a question raised by the JVP Parliamentary Group Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dissanayake said one student died and 26 others taken seriously ill after they were vaccinated by the MOH officials of Matara on Thursday.

He said "It has become a habit and practice of some health officials to release some stocks of out dated medicines during the last couple of days of any audit year so that they could complete their documents with the targeted figures by clearing the old stocks.

The issue of these expired medicines has become a serious threat against the public health.

The MP queried whether this vaccination project was initiated by the school authorities or Health Ministry officials.

Health Minister de Silva said Thursday's vaccination project was done as a part of a countrywide program introduced by the Health Ministry to vaccinate schoolchildren. This vaccine given for the prevention of German Measles had been given to many other students of the same age group. However, there were no reports of such adverse ill effects.

The Minister requested Opposition MPs not to capitalise an unfortunate incident like this because it would instill fear in parents who may not send their children for vaccination of which the consequences were more dangerous.

Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said this vaccination project was done by trained nurses under the supervision of a doctor.

It had been organised by the MOH office in Matara. After some students reported allergic symptoms, it was stopped.

Arrangements had been made to give the vaccine to 300 students of St. Thomas' Girls' School, Matara.

He requested the Health Minister to suspend the Rubella vaccination project in schools until a probe is done and its reports are released to the public.

President orders:

Suspension of Rubella vaccination

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday ordered an immediate probe into the death of a student Peshala Hansani of St. Thomas Girls High School at the Matara hospital, consequent to an infection caused by the Rubella vaccination has zalso directed the Health officials to suspend the Rubella vaccination program with immediate effect, a communique from the President's Media said.

President Rajapaksa had ordered a full-scale inquiry at Health Ministry level, to ascertain the cause and those responsible for the demise of the child. He had directed the Ministry to handover a full report to him, at their earliest.He had also instructed the relevant officials to take necessary measures to grant a compensation of rupees 500,000 on behalf of the victim from the Presidential Fund, the communique further said.

President directs compensation payment

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga to pay Rs.500, 000 compensation to the parents of Peshala Hansini, the Year 8 student of St. Thomas' Girls School, Matara who died after she was administered the Rubella vaccine.

The President has instructed Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena to ensure that this compensation is paid before the funeral of the student.

Medical team ignored dead girl's mother's plea

Peshala Hansini's mother R.V. Kalyani has sent a letter to the medical team that was handling the vaccination program to first find out whether it was advisable to administer the Rubella vaccine on her daughter as she was allergic to certain types of food and is unable to take any food containing cow milk. St. Thomas Girls School Principal R. S. Pathirana confirms that Hansini had handed over her mother's letter to the medical team before she was vaccinated.

Vaccine specialist here

Two vaccines experts are due to arrive in Sri Lanka tomorrow on a request by Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva from the World Health Organisation to inquire into the Rubella vaccine incident in Matara, a Health Ministry press release stated last night.

Dr. Suchard Geheart, a french national serving in New Delhi and an Indian specialist on the quality of vaccines Dr. Madhav who is also from New Delhi are due to arrive in the country tomorrow following the urgent request made by Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva.

The Minister said that a detail investigation will be carried out regarding the Rubella vaccine administered after the arrival of these two specialists from the WHO.

Minister de Silva also stated that after conducting proper investigations stern action will be taken against any person found responsible for the death of the girl in Matara. She died in mysterious circumstances after the Rubell vaccination.

"Proper investigations are now on into the incident to ascertain the correct situation behind this incident," the Minister said.

Investigations have revealed that the vaccine is due to expire in November this year. "However the vaccination of Rubella has been temporarily suspended following the incident in Matara.

Rubella Vaccination will be recommenced only after observing the WHO recommendations after conducting an inquiry into the incident," the Minister added.

He, however, said incidents of this nature is very rare in the world and such incidents are reported only one in 300,000 vaccinations.

"This is the first occasion such an incident reported in Sri Lanka relating to the Rubella vaccine," the Minister said.

Minister de Silva said that some disgruntled political parties are trying to take political advantages out of this incident as they have been left with no other opportunity to criticize the Government.

He said it was not the Health Minister who is taking decisions regarding the vaccines but a panel comprising Professors and Specialist doctors on the subject.