Havana, Cuba: As our population had been informed between October 7 and 8, three one-year-old children were diagnosed with an adverse event associated with PRS vaccination, which protects against Mumps, Rubella and Measles, applying according to official scheme, to children between one and six years of age, the newspaper Granma publishes.

All had been vaccinated on October 7 at the Betancourt Neninger Polyclinic in the municipality of Habana del Este, Havana province, and immediately after symptoms appeared, they were admitted and received medical attention in the intensive services of the pediatric hospitals Borrás-Marfán and Centro Havana

Two other children with symptoms, who were admitted for surveillance, showed that their clinical frame did not correspond to this event and evolved favorably from their disease.

Painfully, on October 9 at night, the one-year-old Paloma Domínguez Caballero girl dies, who has been admitted to the "Borrás-Marfán" Pediatric Hospital as a result of complications. The other two girls linked to this event, after intensive treatment, recovered and were discharged from hospital.

The Commission created by the Ministry of Public Health to determine the causes and conditions that originated this unfortunate fact, concluded:

• The PRS vaccine acquired has been applied in the vaccination scheme for years in our country; It is imported, pre-qualified by the World Health Organization, certified and approved for use by the Center for State Control of Medicines, Equipment and Medical Devices (CECMED).

• The clinical picture presented by the three girls affected with the adverse event corresponds to a Toxic Shock Syndrome, caused by a bacterium (Staphylococcus aureus), isolated in the investigations carried out.

• This adverse event is not linked to the intrinsic and quality properties of the PRS vaccine; The set and diluent used were found to be suitable for use, according to laboratory tests carried out in several accredited research centers in the country.

• It was demonstrated that the cause of the events presented by the three girls was due to violations of the norms established in the vaccination, caused by negligence during the process of conservation, preparation, manipulation and exposure of the bulb used.

Based on the results of this investigation, the definitive separation measure of the National Health System, the disqualification from the exercise of the profession and the process of criminal instruction were applied to the nurse directly involved in this event.

Administrative measures were applied to other cadres and officials responsible for controlling the identified deficiencies.

The results of the investigation were reported to relatives of the three affected children.

From 1986 to December 31, 2018, 9 million 2 thousand doses of the PRS vaccine were applied in Cuba, without the occurrence of serious events. Of the batch of the vaccine and diluent involved, 43 thousand 630 doses have been administered this year in the country, with no reports of similar events.

The Ministry of Public Health regrets what happened and adopts the measures so that events like this are not repeated in our country.

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