Edo Kid’s Death: No Evidence Measles Vaccine Was Administered At UBTH — Action Team

The Action Team for Good Governance, on Wednesday, dismissed reports alleging that a measles/rubella vaccine administered at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) caused the death of a child and triggered adverse reactions in several others, clarifying that the immunisation in question was not carried out within the tertiary hospital premises.

The group, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Dr. Liberation Agobemenbhemindon, said it embarked on an independent fact-finding visit following a newspaper publication and social media reports linking the incident to the hospital.

According to the group, interviews conducted with parents and caregivers revealed that the vaccines were administered at designated public health centres outside the hospital as part of a broader immunisation campaign.

“The children were only brought to UBTH after reactions had already begun,” the statement noted, adding that healthcare professionals at the hospital confirmed that investigations were ongoing to determine whether the reported reactions and fatality were directly related to the vaccine administered elsewhere.

The team said further inquiries within relevant clinical departments showed that immunisation services supervised by UBTH in the Ugbowo environs had not recorded similar adverse reactions.

“This information was consistent across the departments we engaged,” the group stated.

Commenting on the hospital’s response, the group commended the management for what it described as swift intervention and quality care.

“Most of the reported reactions were promptly treated, and parents expressed gratitude for the attention given to their children,” the statement added, noting visible improvements in infrastructure, staff dedication and service coordination.

The group also attributed what it described as improved emergency response capacity to ongoing reforms introduced by the Chief Medical Director, Professor Idia Nibokun Ize-Iyamu.

While urging the public to avoid spreading unverified claims, the organisation maintained that there was no evidence the vaccination was conducted within UBTH and called for patience as relevant authorities conduct their investigations.