SDA-RF-CH-1A.10.pdf
Media
- extracted text
-
SDA-RF-CH-1A.10
CH ' 1^ -
Page 1 of2
Main identity
From;
To:
Sent:
Subject:
"umes’n kapii" <kapilumesh@hotmail.com>
<kapilumesn@hotmail.com^
Wednesday. January 07, 2004 5:39 PM
Court finds Unicef and government responsible for Assam child deaths
For Your informaiiion
Prof, Umesh Kapil
Department of Human Nutrition
All India Institute of Medical sciences ,
New Delhi. India 110029
kapilumesh@hotmail.com
Source: www.bbcnews.com, -September 3, 2003
Court fsnds Unicef and government
responsive for Assam chi’d deaths
The Guwahaii High Court rules that both Unicef and the
Assam state government are to blame for the death of more
than 30 children who were administered vitamin A vaccines in
the state
£
in a judgement delivered this week, the Assam High Court
has held both Unicef and the state government responsible
for the death of more than 30 Assamese children. The
children died after they were administered vitamin A vaccines
in November 2001. Many became ill after taking doses of the
vitamin.
A two-judge bench of the Guwahati High Court in Assam
pronounced its verdict on a public interest case filed by two
Assam residents against the state government and Unicef.
The court has asked the state government to pay
compensation to the families of the children who died. It
ordered compensation at the rate of Rs 20,000 over and
above the paltry Rs 5,000 that each family has been already
paid.
Chief justice of the high court, P P Maylekar, and Justice AH
Saikia said in their judgement that Unicef had introduced
stronger doses of the vaccine by replacing the traditional twomillilitre spoon with five-millilitre cups.
1/14/04
Page 2 of 2
Although Unicsf maintains that there was nothing wrong with
the vaccines it supplied to the Assam government, the health
workers involved were not proper!''' trained and briefed,
leading io lhe administration of greater doses that many of the
sick children could not tolerate.
According to the court verdict, there was an element of
negligence in the way the Assam health department had
administered the vaccines, leading io the death of so many
children.
Assam government officials have refused to comment on
the court verdict. They say they will abide by its ruling.
Source: www.bbcnews.com, September 3, 2003
With best Wishes for a Happy New Ycar and personal regards
Urnssh Kv.pil
Professor Public Health Nutrition
Ail India Institute of Medical Sciences, Mobile 9810609340
Fax 91-11-26588641 and 91-11-26588663
New Delhi 110 029, INDIA tel No. (R) 91-11-26195105, (Off) 26593383
for details of IDD in India Visit web site >iddindia.20rn.com<
Free drafts to 700 locations. Click here.
Position: 4680 (1 views)