The Department of Epidemiology has urged the public not to spread unfounded fears regarding the National Immunization System, in response to recent media reports claiming the death of the 4 month old baby in the Kuliapitiya area due to a vaccine.
Dr. Samitha Ginige, the Director Specialist of the Epidemiology Department, revealed that the Ministry of Health and the Epidemiology Department have initiated a thorough investigation into the incident to determine any potential link between the vaccine and the baby’s death. The findings of this investigation will be made public in due course.
To ascertain the cause of the baby’s death, blood and tissue samples were sent to two laboratories for testing, as the unfortunate incident occurred the day after vaccination.
Dr. Samitha Ginige emphasized that every vaccine used under the National Immunization Program holds certification from the World Health Organization. The approval process involves a thorough review by the expert committee of the National Drug Regulatory Authority, where two experts from the authority are consulted from the outset.
According to the Medical Officer of Health, the baby was not suffering from any illness prior to receiving the vaccine dose. After the vaccination, the baby was kept under observation at the clinic for approximately 20 minutes before being discharged.
The authorities remain committed to ensuring the safety and efficacy of vaccines administered through the National Immunization Program and are taking all necessary measures to investigate and address the concerns raised in this particular case.
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