Gujarat govt orders probe to check presence of harmful ingredients in cough syrups

Ahmedabad, Oct 4 (PTI) Amid reports of deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan allegedly linked to contaminated cough syrups, the Gujarat government on Saturday ordered a probe to determine whether the syrups being sold in the state contain any harmful ingredients.

Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel told reporters in Gandhinagar that the companies under scanner after the child deaths are not on the “buyer list” of state-owned medicine procurement entity Gujarat Medical Services Corporation Ltd (GMSCL).

“We have learnt from the media that some children have lost their lives in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh after consuming cough syrups. It was reported that cough syrups containing dextromethorphan and Coldrif syrup were responsible for the deaths in Rajasthan and MP, respectively,” he said.

Considering the reports concerning the deaths of children, the state health and family welfare department had sought to know whether these cough syrups were procured by the GMSCL, said Patel.

“It was found that none of these companies are on our buyer list. However, as a precautionary measure, we have ordered a probe to find out whether those harmful ingredients are present in all the cough syrups currently sold in Gujarat,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, the MP government on Saturday banned the sale of Coldrif syrup following the death of nine children due to suspected kidney infection in Chhindwara district since September 7, with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav calling the fatalities “extremely tragic”.

The syrup was manufactured at a factory in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. “A ban is also being imposed on other products of the company that manufactures the syrup,” he said.

In Rajasthan, two kids have died allegedly due to contaminated cough syrup. While the government has halted the supply of all 19 medicines manufactured by Jaipur-based Kaysons Pharma, it has suspended the distribution of all other cough syrups containing dextromethorphan. PTI PJT NR