Ministry detects contaminated vaccines

Chamikara Weerasinghe

The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry has restrained the use of Cefroxin and Hydrocortisone vaccines at hospitals from yesterday after detecting glass particles in two vials that contained the vaccines. The Ministry has sent the Cefroxin containers with sedimented glass substances to the National Drug Regulatory Authority for further investigations, Health Ministry sources said.

The second container of Hydrocortisone will be sent to the Authority today.

A patient at Ratnapura General Hospital has reportedly fainted inside the hospital after being inoculated with one of these vaccines.

He is said to have undergone a shock, which is medically known as Anaphylaxis Reaction, hospital sources said. Health Services Director Ajith Mendis has appointed a three member committee to look into the matter. Prof. Rohini Fernandopulle will head the Committee.

The Ministry will conduct a full scale investigation on the vaccines concerned once the containers in question have been received for analysis.