Four days later, on October 20, the baby died. “I never thought that it was due to the vaccine,” said the father. “It was only after I reached Thimphu that the possibility of the vaccine’s side effect was made.”

She is the third baby, all less than two months old, to die in a week’s time after receiving the vaccine. The same day, another two-month old baby from Gelephu was also admitted in Thimphu. The baby’s condition is improving, say doctors.

The first baby to develop symptoms after receiving the vaccine was admitted on September 10. The seven-week-old baby died on September 12. The second baby was admitted on September 25 and died three days later. The fourth baby, 11 weeks old, died the same day.

All four babies were diagnosed with meningo-encephalitis, an infection that affects the central nervous system (CNS) causes inflammation of brain and meninges, the membranes and fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

The national committee for immunisation practices (NICP) met on October 20 and sent a circular across the country on October 23, stopping immediately the use of pentavalent vaccine.

“At this juncture, the health ministry isn’t saying that the death of those children was due to pentavalent vaccine. But we’re also not ruling out the possibility that it may be because of the vaccine,” said the health secretary Dasho (Dr) Gado Tshering at a press briefing yesterday in Thimphu.

The suspension of pentavalent vaccine is a precautionary measure the ministry is taking to investigate and confirm if the deaths are linked to the vaccine. “We’re monitoring all adverse effects following immunisation (AEFI) and request the people not to panic,” said health officials.

But parents of newborns are worried and even health workers have been calling their relatives in the districts to avoid any vaccines. One of the parents of a newborn said that he is very worried because his son had just received the second dose of the vaccine.

Health officials said that meningitis cases are usually seen at this time of the year. In 2006, there were seven cases and three deaths. In 2007, there were six cases. In 2008, there were 15 cases and six deaths and this year, there were 15 cases and four deaths.

All the infants, who died after receiving the vaccine, were diagnosed with meningitis.

Health officials said that an adverse reaction to the vaccine was expected. “We should have informed when the vaccine was introduced, but such information might have created fear among the people,” said Dasho (Dr) Gado Tshering adding that the chances of death from not immunising are many times higher than after immunising.

The head of pediatric department, Dr K P Tshering, said that there are an expected number of adverse reaction cases in certain number of doses administered. “There is a risk involved, which is reflected, but you never know, anything can happen,” he said.

A team of three experts from the world health organisation will be in the country today. They will be here for a week and start investigations tomorrow.

As of October 21, 12,095 doses of pentavalent vaccine were distributed, according to ministry’s records, and about 4,069 doses have been used.

Meanwhile, the older vaccine, called the DPT HebB tetravalent vaccine has been reintroduced. The ministry has requested UNICEF, WHO and JICA for emergency support to provide 20,000 doses of HepB tetravalent vaccine, because the ministry has stock to last only until the end of November.