Vaccination Banned In Mexico Following 2 Infant Deaths, 29 Cases Of Vaccination-Related Illnesses

The public health sector of Mexico has banned the administration of infant vaccines after two infant mortalities and 29 morbidities were reported in one of the communities in southern Mexico. This incident also prompted the government to conduct an investigation to identify the factors that have led to these unfortunate events.

The 29 infants who became sick received immunisations for tuberculosis, rotavirus and hepatitis B, six of which were reported to be in grave conditions. According to the national schedule, the recommended administration of the vaccines are between zero and six months. The Mexican Institute for Social Security said on Sunday that the adverse effects of these vaccines are not clearly known. The said institute also ordered the halt of the administration of the vaccines as a precautionary measure.

The adverse effects developed on Friday and the babies were brought and treated in a hospital located in Simojovel, Chiapas. According to government statistics, 93 percent of the patients belong to the poverty class and 69 percent are extremely poor.

The families of the infants developed signs and symptoms within hours, Rev Marcelo Perez, a Roman Catholic priest told The Associated Press. The hospital did not have enough equipment and the adequate number of staff, he added. "The real problem is the terrible conditions we have ... so that when a baby comes in with convulsions, he leaves dead."

Perez said he has been helping the families by collating all the necessary information that could lead to the root cause of the illnesses and therefore expedite government actions. In a statement on Sunday, Perez said that the federal and state government assured that the best medical care would be rendered to the patients and that the communication lines between them and the parents would stay open to answer all their queries.

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