GUWAHATI, Nov 18: Four more children have died of an alleged vitamin-A overdose in the northeastern Indian state of Assam under a UNICEF-backed anti-blindness drive, taking the death toll to 14, officials said on Sunday.

The four deaths occurred overnight in the southern Assam districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi, a senior district health official said.

The children were aged between two and three.

Assam’s health minister, Bhumidhar Barman said the government was “extremely worried” about the situation.

“We are expecting reports from a laboratory where we have sent vitamin samples for investigations,” Barman said.

“If reports say the vitamin solutions were contaminated, we will take the harshest of legal steps against UNICEF.”

The minister’s statement came amid severe criticism of the state government from opposition political parties and pressure groups, who have accused the administration of trying to shield UNICEF.

On Saturday, the Assam government suspended six health workers, provoking angry reactions from the All Assam Medical Services Association and the All Assam Nurses Association, who have threatened to cease work if their colleagues are not immediately reinstated.

The suspensions followed a government probe into the reasons for thousands of children falling sick after being administered vitamin A doses last Sunday, under a UNICEF-sponsored anti-blindness campaign in Assam.

Rumours have attributed the deaths of the children and their falling sick to contamination or overdosage of the vitamin A solutions.

UNICEF maintains the vitamin was supplied after proper quality control checks and has ruled out any contamination of the solution which was administered orally to children. —AFP