NEW DELHI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Four 10-month-old babies died within minutes of being administered an anti-measles vaccine at two medical camps in Tamil Nadu state of India district Wednesday, according to the local newspaper the Times of India.
Three baby girls died at a center in Pennalurpettai village, about 75 kilometers from Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu. The fourth, a baby boy, died after getting the shot in Venkatapuram village in Tiruttani of the state.
After getting the shocking news, the state administration suspended two public health nurses as well as the measles immunization program across the state. Meanwhile, the Indian Health Ministry rushed a team of experts to the spots.
Samples from various batches of the vaccine allocated to Tamil Nadu have been sent to the Central Research Institute for testing.
Eyewitnesses said the three baby girls started frothing at the mouth, turned blue and died just after they were given the injection.
Even worse to the problem was the fact that there was no provision to take the babies to hospital in case of emergencies.
"We did not plan for an ambulance or medical support," a health official said, adding that it was supposed to be a routine program of immunization.
Measles vaccine kills 4 Indian babies_English_Xinhua