Rubella vaccine program on hold following girl’s death

Nadira Gunatilleke

The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry has appointed a special four-member committee to conduct an investigation into the death of the 13-year-old schoolgirl from Minuwangete Vidyalaya on Monday after receiving the Rubella vaccine on Saturday.

The investigation will commence this morning.

The Rubella vaccine program has been suspended with immediate effect, Public Health Deputy Director Dr. Palitha Maheepala said.

Addressing a special press briefing at the Epidemiology Unit of the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry yesterday, Dr. Maheepala said the four members of the committee are Prof. Manori Senanayake, Dr. Rajeeva de Silva, Dr. Ananda Samarasekara and Dr. Shriyani Dissanayake.

The committee has been asked to conduct the investigation independently following international standards and submit its report to the Ministry soon. A circular has been issued to health authorities instructing them to suspend the vaccine immediately.

According to Dr. Maheepala, the Rubella vaccine had been given to the girl on Saturday morning. After developing allergic symptoms, she had been admitted to Wariyapola Hospital and then transferred to the Kurunegala Hospital ICU.

Apart from the investigation held by the Health Department, another independent investigation is to be conducted by a Judicial Medical Officer and organs have been removed from the girl’s body. The postmortem will reveal the exact medical reason which caused the death.

Sri Lanka obtained the Rubella vaccine from a company recommended by WHO and all vaccinations used in the National vaccination program was obtained from the same company except Polio vaccine. No fault has found in the Rubella vaccine by the WHO team which conducted the investigation into the death of a girl sometime ago who after administering the Rubella vaccine, he said.