‘Wrong vaccines did not harm two affected kids’

The Department of Health has apologised for mistakenly giving pneumococcal vaccines to two children who were supposed to get hepatitis B vaccinations at the Tin Shui Wai Maternal and Child Health Centre.

The department said there was no adverse reaction in the affected kids and paediatricians have assessed that the wrong vaccines do not pose any health risks to them.

Seven children, between one and seven months old, were scheduled to receive hepatitis B vaccines between 4pm and 5.30pm on Monday, the department said.

But a routine check of vaccination records later that day found that two fewer doses of hepatitis B vaccine had been used and two extra doses of pneumococcal vaccine had been used.

The department said while investigations are ongoing it is believed the incident was due to human error, noting it had instructed the health centre to step up efforts in the training of frontline staff.

It added that the nursing staff involved had been suspended from vaccination duties and disciplinary action would be taken if the probe confirms any misconduct.