Check-ups begin for Busia children paralysed after jabs

Thirty children who were paralysed after being injected at a dispensary in Busia have began check-ups.

County Health executive Maurice Siminyu said the victims are being examined in hospitals as they wait for findings of a World Health Organisation probe.

Speaking to the Nation Monday, Dr Siminyu said WHO officials and the County Advisory Committee are looking at three possible scenarios, which could point to the cause of the paralysis.

“Among the answers they are looking for is why only children from one village were affected after being injected at Akichelesit Dispensary, yet the health centre serves the entire community.

“We are investigating if the staff may have engaged in malpractice or if they administered drugs without permission,” said Dr Siminyu.

The affected children developed weak limbs after being injected.

Most of the children can barely walk, while others have sceptic wounds. Older children use walking sticks to move around.

In some cases, parents claimed their children’s feet started rotting away.

Mid-July, angry parents stormed Governor Sospeter Ojaamong’s office to demand action against health workers responsible for the paralysis.

Mr Abel Okiror, whose six year-old daughter was affected, Monday told the Nation the county government is facilitating check-ups and physiotherapy for the children.

Dr Siminyu said among the factors the probe team is seeking to establish is whether health workers could have been involved in hoarding drugs.

“The advisory committee is tracing the homes of all the victims to establish whether their relatives are suffering from related ailments and if the children had received polio immunization jabs,” he said.

Busia County Speaker Benard Wamalwa said the assembly committee on Health will present its findings just a few days after the team asked concerned officials to resign.