Child Deaths Linked To Cough Syrups Trigger Panic In MP and Rajasthan, Families Seek Answers

Following the deaths of six children in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district and two children in Rajasthan's Sikar district due to kidney-related complications after allegedly consuming contaminated cough syrups, the families of the deceased have demanded answers from the administration regarding the manufacture and sale of these syrups.

The families of the deceased children are pleading for justice and demanding strict action against those responsible for the deaths.

Reaction of Family Members

The mother of a deceased child, Adnan, broke down on camera. Speaking to Republic, Adnan's grieving mother said, "We did not know this syrup would lead to his death. Neither we nor the doctors realized it could be fatal. If we had known the syrup was harmful, we could have saved our child's life."

A relative of another deceased child told Republic, "He had a cough and was given this syrup by his mother. The child went to sleep but did not wake up. He was taken to the doctor and was declared dead."

Reaction of Doctors

Pradyumn Jain, a doctor, said, "An investigation is underway to determine whether the deaths were caused by an overdose of the medicine or a specific batch of medicine. In the last two weeks, five to six children were admitted."

Khushpal, another doctor, stated, "The batch of medicines in question is no longer available in the district."

What Caused the Deaths?

A dextromethorphan-based cough syrup is linked to the deaths. Dozens of children have fallen ill. According to reports, a doctor attempting to prove the syrup's safety fainted after consuming it.

The company, Kaysons Pharma, is reportedly behind the cough syrup. The banned pharmaceutical firm is under scrutiny, as it was previously blacklisted for producing substandard syrups. In 2023, a batch of the company's syrup was declared "not of standard quality." Despite the ban, the company received supply contracts for government programs.

Teams from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) have been dispatched to Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to investigate the matter.

According to sources, approximately 30,000 bottles of the syrups are likely still circulating in the market.

So far, 16 children have fallen ill, of whom six have died from kidney failure. The remaining children are undergoing treatment in Nagpur.

Following the incident, two cough syrups have been banned in Chhindwara, and production of one has been halted. Investigations revealed diethylene glycol contamination in the kidney samples of the affected children.

Three cough syrups are suspected to have caused the deaths: one manufactured in Indore, another in Tamil Nadu, and the third in Himachal Pradesh. Production has been halted at a manufacturing unit in Indore. The Commissioner of Fertilizer Safety and Control has formed a five-member investigation team to probe the matter.

Initial investigations indicate that the cough syrup was supplied from Jabalpur. Whether these deaths were caused by the cough syrups or a mysterious illness will be confirmed only after the investigation report is released.

An atmosphere of panic has spread in the area. Medical store owner Rizwan Khan said the drug has been banned, and people are scared.

Six children died in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district due to kidney-related complications between September 4 and September 26. According to the families of the affected children, the children initially suffered from colds, coughs, and fevers. Subsequently, their kidneys were affected, and their conditions worsened.

Unanswered questions related to this incident include:

1. How did these syrups pass state drug procurement processes?

2. Was laboratory verification conducted before procurement?

3. Were toxic solvents deliberately used to cut costs?

4. Why was a repeat-offender company allowed to supply?

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