The death of 11 children in Madhya Pradesh, allegedly linked to the consumption of a cough syrup, has sent shockwaves through the nation. From police action to the government imposing a ban on the medicine, several measures have been taken so far.
The cough syrup, ‘Coldrif’, was reportedly found to contain toxic compounds beyond permissible limits. This allegedly led to renal failure and the deaths of children.
As per IANS, it was found during the probe that the children who consumed the prescribed syrup developed high fever and severe difficulty in urination. Several of them succumbed to kidney failure.
Furthermore, laboratory analysis has confirmed the presence of diethylene glycol (DEG), a lethal industrial chemical commonly found in antifreeze and brake fluids, in concentrations ranging from 46.28 per cent to 48.6 per cent in the syrup.
Cough Syrup Row: Key Updates
1- The fatalities primarily involved children under the age of five.
2- The Madhya Pradesh government has announced a complete ban on the sale of the cough Syrup across the state.
3- On the directions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, strict action has been initiated against the sale of banned cough syrups across Uttarakhand, as per ANI.
4- The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Drug Control subsequently declared the sample “Not of Standard Quality”.
5- IANS reported, citing sources, that the Union Health Ministry will hold an important meeting on Sunday at 4 pm to discuss the children’s deaths linked to ‘toxic’ cough syrup.
6- The meeting will be led by the Secretary of the Health Ministry, with the Principal Secretaries and Health Secretaries from all states and union territories in attendance. Additionally, Drug Controllers from each state and union territory will also be present.
7- Following an inquiry into the tragic deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh, the state Health Department has suspended Praveen Soni, a paediatrician at Parasia Civil Hospital. He allegedly prescribed the fatal medicine during his private practice.
8- Earlier, Soni was arrested at Rajpal Chowk in the Kotwali police station area.
9- The investigation concluded that the medicines administered by Soni contained toxic substances that directly damaged the kidneys of the young patients.
10- This comes amid legal action against the doctor and the manufacturer of the cough syrup, Shreesan Pharmaceuticals, based in Tamil Nadu. Both have been named in an FIR registered at Parasia police station, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been tasked with probing the pharmaceutical company’s role in the tragedy.
Initial reports suggested the children had died due to severe cough and cold symptoms. However, a detailed investigation by the Block Medical Officer revealed that the ‘Coldrif’ syrup contained a harmful compound that caused kidney failure.
(with agencies’ inputs)