Cough syrup deaths: MP government transfers state drug controller, suspends three officials

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government on Monday suspended two drug inspectors and a Deputy Director of the food and drug administration amid the probe into the death of 14 children from Chhindwara due to suspected renal failure, linked to the consumption of a “toxic” cough syrup.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also transferred the state's Drug Controller, Dinesh Maurya, after reviewing the situation in a high-level meeting.

The suspended drug inspectors are identified as Gaurav Sharma and Sharad Kumar Jain, who are posted in Chhindwara and Jabalpur, respectively. The suspended Deputy Director is identified as Shobhit Costa, an official said.

Yadav visited Parasia later in the day and met the kin of the deceased children.

The chief minister said strict action will be taken against those responsible for the tragic deaths of children, and no negligence will be tolerated.

Yadav directed officials to confiscate stocks of the banned Coldrif cough syrup from shops and launch a campaign to recover the medicine from families in Chhindwara and surrounding districts who had purchased it.

He stated that the effectiveness of other medicines recently sold in the area should be assessed, officials said.

Police have formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the death of 14 children, officials said on Sunday.

Dr Praveen Soni from Chhindwara has been arrested for alleged negligence, while a case has been registered against the Coldrif cough syrup manufacturing company.

The government has banned the sale of Coldrif cough syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceutical, Kancheepuram (Tamil Nadu), with officials saying the drug samples have been found to contain a highly toxic substance.

Of the children who died, 11 were from Parasia sub-division, two from Chhindwara city, and one from Chaurai tehsil.

Eight children are being treated in Nagpur -- four in a government hospital, one at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and three in private facilities, according to officials.

During the high-level meeting, Yadav emphasised that the cooperation of all government officials and employees, along with ASHA and USHA workers, should be enlisted in the drive to recover the banned syrup from the homes of families in Chhindwara and surrounding districts.

The chief minister said a campaign should be initiated to verify whether the required warnings and precautions are being properly printed on the labels of medicines. He directed strict action against those who fail to comply with these regulations, according to officials.

Citing a legal provision, Yadav stated that combination drugs must not be prescribed to children under four years of age, and doctors who violate this provision should be prosecuted.

The chief minister further directed that necessary precautions be taken and awareness spread in collaboration with various medical organisations, including the Indian Association of Pediatrics and the Chemist Association, to prevent such incidents from recurring.

Yadav instructed that the Tamil Nadu government be informed of the developments so that appropriate action can be taken against the manufacturer of Coldrif syrup, officials added.

Officials reported that upon receiving information about serious cases in Chhindwara, a team of doctors was dispatched to investigate.

The National Centre for Disease Control and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation were also involved in the investigation.

Samples from eight patients were sent to a laboratory in Pune for testing. Additionally, various medicine samples were collected from Chhindwara and tested.

Meetings were held with private doctors, hospitals, and chemists in Chhindwara and Parasia to assess the situation and advise them on necessary precautions, officials said.

Among other measures, a survey was launched to identify affected patients in Chhindwara district, and those in need were referred to the Government Medical College in Nagpur for further treatment.

The district administration imposed a local ban on the medicine and initiated inspections of hospitals and chemist shops.

The Drug Controller General of India, along with the Drug Controllers of Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, were also informed of the situation, officials added.

Following the Tamil Nadu Drug Controller’s finding that Coldrif syrup samples were invalid, the sale of the syrup was banned throughout the state.

Further action was taken to suspend the doctor who had prescribed the syrup to most of the affected patients and facilitated its sale through a family member. An FIR was also registered against the manufacturer of the medicine, according to officials.

The chief minister interacted with families of the deceased children in Neuton Chikhli Municipal Council and Parasia Magazine Line area in Chhindwara district, and consoled them.

"Every individual's life is precious", he said, adding that the government is sensitive to the tragedy and also committed to ensuring harsh punishment for the guilty.