Vaccination campaign halted in northern Syria after 15-50 children die

A badly mixed measles vaccine killed between at least 15 to 50 children on Tuesday in northern Syria and caused officials to halt the vaccination campaign. The campaign was conducted by the Measles Control Task Force, a branch of an interim government that has taken control of parts of northern Syria during that nation’s three-year civil war. It’s meant to combat measles, mumps, polio and rubella in Syria. The group is looking into the matter, while the World Health Organization has also opened an independent investigation.

We are investigating if it’s a mistake by the medical crew or a criminal act.

Syrian physician in the affected area Mohammad Hamadi

The Measles Control Task Force said it had already provided the measles vaccination to some 20,000 children at the start of this week, before officials began to hear reports of problems early on Sept 16. Though it reports that only 15 children have died, the group said it knows of 50 to 75 cases in which a vaccine had adverse effects on a child. Initial findings show that the measles vaccine was mixed with a muscle relaxant that can be fatal when administered to small children, which would explain why children between 6- to 18-months-old have died while older children have survived. The children’s symptoms ranged from an inability to breathe to a slowed heart rate that can be fatal in infants.

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