KARACHI: The emergency operation centre (EOC) for polio on Monday dismissed the “fake reports” that a four-month-old child had died in North Karachi because of taking anti-polio injection, saying this was untrue.

“There is fake news circulating that a four-month-old child has died in North Karachi because of taking anti-polio injection, this is not true at all,” said Fayaz Jatoi, coordinator EOC Sindh, in a statement.

He said polio injections did not have any adverse reactions and were completely safe, and no child had died because of this.

“This child was injected with anti-polio injections on Friday and she expired on Saturday night. There is no connection between the death and vaccination,” he said.

He added the child had severe diarrhoea and dehydration which led to her death. He requested the media not to spread the report as it was not true and “will endanger the security of health workers.

“There is zero evidence to suggest this has anything to do with vaccination except for parents’ claim.”

Mr Jatoi added: “We understand the parents are upset and we sincerely offer our condolences to them but the death of their child has not been caused by vaccination.”

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2018