CHANDIGARH:Haryana Health Department has clarified that the death of an infant after administration of polio drops in Fatehabad on Sunday last is a coincidence.

While disclosing this an official spokesman said that, the infant did not die due to polio vaccine as the vaccine is fully safe and has no side effects of any kind even  if  administered to seriously ill children.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday,a spokesman of the Health Department said, in fact, the eight months old infant was born pre-mature, had been suffering from severe pneumonia for the last two weeks and was under treatment from a private practitioner.

The death of the infant, after administration of polio drops, was just a coincidence. He, therefore, appealed to the people not to have any misconception about the safety of polio vaccine as a result of this incidence.

He said that the second National Immunization Day of the year for polio eradication was being observed on February 10, the day when the incident occurred. Under this programme, every  child between the age of 0-5 years has to be given two drops of polio vaccine irrespective of his illness status  or  pre-existing illness,if any, as per the guidelines issued by the of Government of India.
             
He said that the infant was being taken to some health facility for further treatment. The parents were aware of the condition of the child and even after the death of the child they were convinced that their child died due to pre-existing severe pneumonia and  not due to administration of polio drops.