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This issue isn’t just about Chhindwara or Betul; it’s a question of the credibility of the entire Indian pharmaceutical industry. Read an exclusive analysis by veteran journalist Manoj Tibrewal Aakash.
New Delhi: 16 deaths due to cough syrup, Madhya Pradesh to Rajasthan, questions echo in the corridors of hospitals, whose negligence led to these deaths, and why are efforts still being made to shield those responsible?
Senior journalist Manoj Tibrewal Aakash said in his show 'The MTA Speaks', in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara and Betul districts, 16 children have lost their lives due to a cough syrup called "Coldrif." Fourteen deaths have been confirmed in Chhindwara and two in Betul. All these deaths occurred in the last few weeks, but now there is an atmosphere of concern across the country, because the same syrup and medicines from the same company have been sold in several other states.
The first death was reported on 7 September, but the administration began taking action only after 24 October. This means the poisonous medicine remained in circulation in stores and hospitals for a full 42 days. With this long delay, the public is now asking, who is responsible for these deaths? The doctors? The pharmaceutical company? Or the system that turned a blind eye?
The Parasia area of Chhindwara has seen the highest number of deaths. Most of the children who died were between 2 and 6 years old. They complained of cough, cold, and fever. Local doctors prescribed a medicine called "Coldrif Cough Syrup," but the toxic chemicals in this syrup damaged both the children's kidneys and livers. The symptoms gradually worsened, and then one by one, the children died.
After the incident came to light, the police and health department swung into action. An FIR was filed Saturday night against Srisan Pharma Company and local doctor Dr Praveen Soni. Dr Soni has been arrested and suspended. It is alleged that he prescribed this medicine to the highest number of patients. But the question remains: is only one doctor and one company responsible?
The medicine was manufactured by Srisan Pharmaceuticals, a Tamil Nadu-based company that has been embroiled in controversy before. Investigating agencies are now preparing to investigate the factory premises in Tamil Nadu. The Madhya Pradesh Police SIT, led by Jabalpur Range IG Shailendra Singh, can now gather evidence outside the state.
For now, the state government has immediately banned the sale of "Coldrif" and all syrups manufactured by the same company. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav himself confirmed this on the social media platform X, stating that public safety is paramount.
According to Chhindwara ADM Dhirendra Singh, an assistance amount of Rs 4 lakh each has been released from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to the families of the deceased. This amount has been given to the families of 11 children from Parasia, 2 from Chhindwara, and one from Chorai. Eight children are still hospitalized in Nagpur—four government hospitals, one at AIIMS, and three private hospitals. All of them are being monitored by a special team of doctors.
But financial assistance alone does not end the questions. The public is asking—why did departmental officials fail to prevent such a massive tragedy? The state's Drug Control Department has dozens of inspectors whose job is to ensure that every medicine sold in the market is safe. So how did this poisonous syrup reach the stores openly?
The central government has taken this matter seriously. Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava has called an emergency meeting with the health secretaries and principal secretaries of all states. This meeting is being held via video conferencing. The objective is to review the quality of cough syrups and provide clear guidelines to the states to prevent such incidents from happening again.
According to sources, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has decided to write to the Tamil Nadu FDA to take strict action against Srisan Pharma, the manufacturer of 'Coldrif' syrup. The process of revoking the company's license and recalling the product from the market may also be initiated.
The investigation has also revealed that samples of not only 'Coldrif' but also another cough syrup called 'Necro DS' have been sent for testing in Madhya Pradesh. A total of 19 samples have been collected, including antibiotics and fever medications. Reports are awaited for all of these.
The state government has now banned the sale of these two syrups and all products from the same company. The Union Health Ministry has warned states not to give cough and cold medicines to children under two years of age, as the alcohol and solvents present in them can sometimes prove fatal for young children.
Meanwhile, similar deaths have been reported from Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Four children in Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu and Sikar districts have died from this syrup. Both states have immediately banned its sale, while Kerala and Telangana have issued a precautionary alert.
The families of the deceased are now demanding answers—if the syrup contained poison, why was it not identified in time? Was the testing of the drug samples only being done on paper? And will this case, like so many previous medical scandals, be swept under the rug?
Cough syrup-related deaths have occurred in India before. In 2022, more than 70 children died in Gambia from a syrup manufactured by the Indian pharmaceutical company Maiden Pharma. In 2023, a similar drug claimed the lives of 20 children in Uzbekistan. At that time, the World Health Organization (WHO) questioned India's drug quality system. Now, the same fears have returned—are both the export of toxic drugs from India and their distribution within the country unmonitored?
The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has directed states to ensure that every single dose of a drug is tested.
Pharmaceutical companies must immediately upload their lab reports. They must ensure that the amount of diethylene glycol or ethylene glycol in any product does not exceed safe limits. This chemical is known to cause kidney failure. This same element has also been found to be a suspect in the deaths in Chhindwara.
The state government has formed a high-level committee to investigate the incident, which will determine how the drug was distributed, which medical stores sold it, and whether anyone in the supply chain was negligent. A report has been requested within 10 days, but public trust is now in doubt.
These deaths have raised serious questions about the country's healthcare system and drug regulatory system. India is the world's third-largest pharmaceutical exporter, but if there are such serious flaws in quality control, it's not just a tragedy, but a failure of the entire system.
Deaths in the name of medicine... and then the closure of the case after providing relief funds—this is what our regulatory framework has become. For parents wandering from door to door with the bodies of their children, compensation has become an insult rather than a relief.
This issue isn't just about Chhindwara or Betul; it's a question of the credibility of the entire Indian pharmaceutical industry. If toxic drugs are killing children, and yet the system remains sluggish, it's a wake-up call for every citizen.
Governments must now take concrete steps beyond mere meetings and notices—regular inspections of pharmaceutical companies, random testing of products, and strict punishment for the guilty can only improve this system.
