Nashik teen dies after Td vaccine dose, Maharashtra launches multi-level probe; batch put on hold

A 17-year-old girl from Maharashtra's Nashik district died shortly after receiving a routine tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine, triggering a multi-level investigation by health authorities.

While the girl's family has alleged that the vaccine caused her death, officials have stressed that there is no confirmed link between the vaccination and the fatality at this stage.

The incident took place on Wednesday during a routine immunisation drive conducted by the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) in the city's CIDCO area.

The teenager, identified as Shravani Patil, was administered a Td vaccine as part of the government's adolescent immunisation programme.

According to officials, Shravani complained of dizziness soon after receiving the shot and left the vaccination centre. Moments later, she reportedly collapsed on a nearby road.

She was immediately rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Preliminary reports suggest she may have sustained a head injury after falling, though authorities say the exact sequence of events and cause of death are still under investigation.

The girl's family has accused the authorities of negligence and claimed that the vaccine led to her death. They have demanded a thorough investigation and strict action against those responsible if any lapses are found.

In response, the Maharashtra health department and Nashik Municipal Corporation have launched a detailed inquiry. A post-mortem examination has been conducted, while viscera samples have been preserved for forensic and chemical analysis.

An Adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI) committee has also been constituted to determine whether the death was in any way related to the vaccine or whether another medical condition was responsible.

As a precautionary measure, officials have suspended the use of the entire vaccine batch administered during the session and sent samples to a government laboratory for quality testing.

Authorities said six beneficiaries had received doses from the same vial, but none of the others have reported any adverse reactions so far.

Health officials have urged the public not to jump to conclusions until the scientific investigation is complete.

They reiterated that the Td vaccine has been part of India's Universal Immunisation Programme for years and has been administered safely to millions of children and adolescents across the country.

The final cause of death will be determined only after post-mortem findings, forensic reports, laboratory analysis of the vaccine samples, and the AEFI committee's investigation are completed.