GUNTUR: The Human Rights Commission of AP & Telangana States issued notices to principal secretary, medical and health, Andhra Pradesh, on Friday, directing him to submit a detailed report by August 19 on the death of 13-year-old K. Chenchu Lakshmi.
The young girl died within a few hours of taking measles and rubella vaccination on August 17 at Yanadi Colony in Tadepalli mandal, Amaravati district. The child rights organisation, Balala Hakkula Sangham, believes that negligence on the part of the health officials caused the death, and filed a petition before the HRC seeking stern action against the officials concerned.
The parents of the girl, Ramanaiah and Kotamma, said that on Thursday health workers visited their home and administered Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine to Chenchu Lakshmi. At around 4 pm she started shivering and by evening she had fever. She died while they were trying to shift her to hospital.
Her parents believe that the vaccine was to blame and lodged a complaint at the Tadepalli police station. Sub inspector K. Subba Rao said a case has been registered and the body of the girl has been sent for autopsy.
