The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has issued a strong advisory warning against the use of cough syrups in children under two years of age following the deaths of 11 young children in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The deaths, which have raised widespread concern, were initially suspected to be linked to contaminated cough syrups.
In Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district, nine children succumbed to kidney failure over a span of two weeks. Meanwhile, in Rajasthan’s Sikar district, two additional child fatalities were reported. Health authorities noted that several of the affected children had consumed widely available cough syrups, including Coldref and Nextro, prompting immediate scrutiny of these medicines.
Private healthcare providers in the affected regions have been advised to refer children with viral infections directly to civil hospitals rather than administering cough syrups, as a precautionary measure. A line list of 1,420 children suffering from cold, fever, and flu-like symptoms is under close medical monitoring.
Despite initial fears of contamination, laboratory tests conducted by the Union Health Ministry found no evidence of toxic chemicals such as Diethylene Glycol (DEG) or Ethylene Glycol (EG), which are known to cause severe kidney damage. Confirmatory testing was carried out by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and the Madhya Pradesh State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), and the results showed that the syrups did not contain harmful substances. Authorities emphasized that reports of syrup contamination are unsubstantiated and baseless at this time.
The advisory serves as a precautionary measure to safeguard young children until the exact cause of the kidney failures is determined. Officials are urging parents to exercise caution, avoid self-medicating young children with over-the-counter cough syrups, and consult qualified medical professionals for any respiratory or viral illness.
The incidents have highlighted the importance of vigilance in pediatric medication use and the need for robust monitoring of pharmaceutical products, especially for infants and toddlers. Health authorities continue to investigate the deaths to determine the root cause and prevent further tragedies.