Families of two one-year-olds who died at the same hospital in Samoa minutes after receiving the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine have asked the police to investigate.
The Samoan Government has seized supplies of the MMR vaccine and suspended the immunisation programme following the deaths of two babies at Savaii's Safotu Hospital last week.
Baby Lameko celebrated his first birthday with family around him, but just days later, they'd lost him.
"They told me he was dead," his mother told 1 NEWS, sobbing.
Her little boy died within a minute of being immunised at Safotu Hospital.
Two hours earlier, baby Lanna had died three minutes after receiving the same MMR vaccine.
"When I took my baby, she was strong and healthy," Lanna's mother said.
Lanna's parents had tried to have a baby for 10 years. She was their miracle child and they just want to know what went wrong
"It's the only thing on our minds," Lanna's father said.
The two nurses who administered the vaccines have been removed from the area for their own safety and tensions are running high.
"The family members have taken their views to the police department for investigation," said Dr Take Naseri of the Samoan Health Ministry
The ministry has recalled all stocks of the vaccine and launched an investigation.
“It is important that the current concerns in Samoa do not reduce the vaccination rates in Samoa
"We are looking at testing that to see whether there's a fatal outcome off the mixture that may have caused death," Dr Naseri said.
Experts say deaths from MMR vaccines are extremely rare and there are two main reasons why it would happen.
"Where a different drug has been administered in error or when the vaccines have been stored incorrectly after being reconstituted and have become contaminated," said Dr Helen Petousis-Harris, Auckland University vaccinologist.
Pasifika medical specialists say vaccines have stamped out diseases and prevented many deaths in the region.
"It is important that the current concerns in Samoa do not reduce the vaccination rates in Samoa. I feel that the investigation by the Health Ministry will actually give some reassurance to the public," said Dr Alec Ekeroma of the Pasifika Medical Association.
But it's reassurance that will bring little comfort to two families left grieving for their babies.
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