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Vaccine related deaths in children are on the rise in India and it is reported that 128 children died in the year 2010, against 111 in 2008 and 116 in 2009.

Adverse effects following immunization (AEFI) is the technical term used for the deaths occur as soon as the immunization done. The AEFI generally includes the reasons of vaccine quality, contamination during storage and the pre-existing conditions of the child.

The death occurs in children as soon as the immunization is classified as AEFI death.

The government has closed three public sector vaccine producing units in India citing non-compliance of good manufacturing practices.

The union health secretary K.Chandramouli said that they are concerned and can not attribute all such deaths to one reason and added that all deaths could not be linked with vaccines. However he expressed his views that lack of diligence at the field level and carelessness could be among the reasons.

Dr.Jacob M.Pulivel, the head of paediatrics at St.Stephen’s Hospital, Delhi said that many child deaths following vaccination reported in media are not registered in the government statistics.

He added that the guidelines given by WHO is not followed by the government which says that the death of a child after vaccination should be registered under category of “probable reason” if any other cause is not established.