Police and the Ministry of Health in Samoa are investigating the death of a four-month-old baby on Saturday, 29 April.
The Ministry of Health said a preliminary investigation was conducted by Senior Ministry officials.
According to the preliminary investigation, the baby received vaccination due at 14-weeks old at Motootua Hospital on Saturday.
The baby was taken to the emergency department at the hospital in a critical condition six hours later.
“Despite swift action by the medical team, including resuscitation, the baby unfortunately passed away,” Director General of Health, Aiono Dr Alec Ekeroma said in a statement issued this morning.
Aiono said other infants including the deceased baby’s twin have not had any adverse reactions or been brought to the hospital for treatment or any other medical concerns.
In response to questions from Tala Fou, the Deputy Police Commissioner Papalii Monalisa Tiai Keti said the hospital reported the matter to Police on Sunday.
According to a Police report, the parents took the infant and her twin sister to the hospital to get their immunisation shot on Saturday last weekend.
The parents claim when they returned home, one their daughters started to show discomfort and had diarrhea.
She was rushed back to the hospital but died the same evening.
Police are investigating the matter and the coroner has ordered a post mortem to be conducted to determine the cause of death.
DG Health Aiono said it has been confirmed that the nurses who administered the vaccines had followed all standard procedures accordingly in the care, storage and administration of the vaccines.
He assured the public that the Ministry is investigating the matter.