Rubbella vaccine debacle

With reference to the death of 12-year-old Peshela due to the administration of Rubella vaccine, Dr. P. Mahipala, Deputy Director General (Public Health) has said that disciplinary action, if necessary could only be considered only after the Ministry receives the report.

Dr. Mahipala clearly states above that disciplinary action will be taken only after the Ministry receives the report (presumably from the WHO investigators) and the report finds negligence on the part of the MOH officers.

I ask Dr. Mahipala what investigation is necessary when it has been revealed that the vaccine packages had a prominently displayed notice under 'Most Important Warning' that warned the users the possibility of a rare allergic reaction and warned them to have the necessary injections ready at hand in addition to the warning letter by the mother of the victim.

I also ask Dr. Mahipala whether when he uses the words 'if necessary' with regard to disciplinary action, whether he could decide not to take action if he so desires.

The warning had described those injections in detail. If Dr. Mahipala cannot give an answer to the above question to the satisfaction of the people and the report does not find negligence on the part of anybody does it mean that the matter would be dropped? No, Dr. Mahipala. That would be the time when the whole process will really start and the nation will through the Courts of Law find not only the identities of those who ignored the 'Most Important Notice' and the warning letter by the mother of the victim but also everyone who has attempted to cover up the guilty.

Now comes Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage who said that the Ministry has administered 10 million doses of Rubella vaccine since 2001 and the Ministry spends over 400 million rupees on vaccines. I now ask Dr. Kahandaliyanage whether this is an instance beyond the power of any human to prevent taking place like for example thunder, lightning, floods and tsunami together or called an 'act of God' in legal parlance.

This I say to Dr. Kahandaliyanage is a cruel insult to the poor little thing that died as a result of negligence in ignoring both the warning given by the Serum Institute of India and by the girl's mother. The reply to Dr. Kahandaliyanage is the same as that for Dr. Mahipala.

L. Jayasooriya