Aurangabad: A two-and-a-half year old boy, who was administered the measles rubella (MR) vaccine at the health centre of the municipal corporation a week ago, was declared brain dead by doctors at Hedgewar hospital on Thursday.The boy’s father attributed his son’s critical condition to the vaccine administered to him and has demanded that a police case be registered against the doctors and officials of the civic body.Yash Bhatpude was administered the MR vaccine around 12.30pm at Aurangabad Municipal Corporation’s (AMC) health centre at Rajnagar, Gadiya Vihar Road on January 31. Yash’s father Kailash Bhatpude said that soon after the vaccine was administered to his son, he had fever and was experiencing chills. “At 6pm on February 3, he had high fever and started feeling cold. We took him to Amrut Child Hospital and Critical Care Centre. He was provided OPD treatment and sent home. However, around 11am on February 4, Yash again had fever and was experiencing chills. This time, we took him to Hedgewar hospital. He was provided treatment and sent home,” Bhatpude wrote in his complaint to the police.Bhatpude further said that around 7pm on the same day, Yash contracted fever, started shivering and his legs turned stiff. He was immediately rushed to Hedgewar hospital where he went to coma while undergoing treatment.Between 5.30 and 6pm on Thursday, doctors at Hedgewar hospital declared the boy brain dead. “The life support of the child will be removed on Friday after which the body will be sent to Government Medical College and Hospital for post mortem,” said the boy’s uncle. Yash did not have any ailment since birth.AMC health officer Nita Padalkar told TOI that Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) committee, comprising private and government paediatric doctors and forensic experts, has discussed the case. “The boy has been diagnosed with viral encephalitis. His samples have been sent to Pune for further examination. The committee concluded that the vaccination was not responsible for the condition of the boy. There were nine other children who were vaccinated along with the boy,” said Padalkar.Medical director at Hedgewar hospital Anant Pandhare told TOI that since it was a case of MR vaccine, the hospital was carefully following it up from the beginning. “However, no links could be established between the vaccine and the infection. He must have been harbouring the infection from before. His sister was also administered the vaccine under the same programme but she did not have any reactions,” said Pandhare.Activist Vilas Jagdale, who has been pursuing the matter of vaccine-related injuries with the authorities, said that an American court has stated that the high mercury levels in the MR vaccine could cause encephalopathy.

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