New Delhi: After the tragic deaths of six children in the Chhindwara district in Madhya Pradesh due to acute renal failure, the Union Ministry has launched a comprehensive investigation into multi-agencies. A team from the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has been deployed to the region, said officials familiar with the case. Health officials strongly suspect that an infected cough syrup is responsible for the deaths. Preliminary reports indicate that the medicine without a counter is possibly infected with the Diethyle Mint (DEG), a very toxic chemical that is known to cause severe kidney damage. The government’s quick response aims to determine the exact cause and stop further tragedies. The crisis came to light after the first case was noted on August 24, with the first death on September 7. All victims, suffering from fever and cold, have developed kidney failure after consuming the medicine. In response to the growing alarm, the collector of Chhindwara district Sheelendra Singh immediately prohibited the sale of two specific cough syrups that were apparently linked to death. The investigation of the central government is in full swing. According to an official, “to exclude the possibility of any infectious disease, various samples such as water, entomological and medicine are tested by different agencies.” The State Medicine Authority is now analyzing the drug samples, with the results still waiting, another official quickly said. In addition, blood samples from the children concerned were sent to the Virology Institute in Pune, and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in Delhi was brought in to help the investigation. Inquiries sent to the Ministry of Health remained unanswered, while the Madhya Pradesh could not be reached immediately. This tragic incident highlights serious concerns about public health about the quality of medicine, especially easily available products without a counter. The presence of toxic substances such as deg or ethylene glycol (eg) in routine medicine poses a significant risk, especially for vulnerable children. It is not an isolated event. Indian manufactured cough syrup is linked to similar international tragedies. In 2022, approximately 70 children were killed in the Gambia after their syrup manufactured by an Indian company, Maiden Pharmaceuticals. Later that year and in the early 2023, the deaths of at least 20 children in Uzbekistan were linked to Doc-1 Max, another Indian-made cough syrup produced by Marion Biotech. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued warnings in both international cases, confirming that the syrup contains unacceptable levels of toxic contaminants. This recurring pattern raises serious questions about manufacturing practices and quality standards in the pharmaceutical industry of India, often called ‘the pharmacy of the world’.
The center launches sin as six children in Madhya Pradesh die from infected cough syrup
