6 MP children die after consuming suspected contaminated cough syrup
What's the story
In a tragic incident, six children in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district have died of kidney failure in the last 15 days. The deaths are suspected to be linked to contaminated cough syrup, district officials said on Tuesday. "The cough syrup administered to the children was allegedly contaminated with diethylene glycol (DEG)," Chhindwara district collector Sheelendra Singh said. DEG is an industrial solvent used in the manufacture of paints, inks, and brake fluids.
Health crisis
First suspected case reported on August 24
The first suspected case was reported on August 24 when a child from Parasia village had a high fever and cold. The first death due to kidney failure occurred on September 7. "After developing fever and cold, the children experienced difficulty in urination and were referred to Nagpur for treatment but could not be saved," Chhindwara chief medical officer Dr. Naresh Gonare said.
Toxic compound
Kidney biopsies revealed presence of diethylene glycol
Despite medical efforts, they could not be saved. "Kidney biopsies revealed the presence of diethylene glycol, a toxic compound found in the cough syrup given to the affected children," he said. Singh said that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in Delhi had been informed about the deaths. Blood samples of affected children were sent to Pune's Virology Institute for analysis.
Preventive measures
District administration bans sale of 2 cough syrups
The district administration has since banned the sale of two cough syrups suspected to be contaminated. An urgent advisory has also been issued to doctors, pharmacies, and parents. "The biopsy report strongly suggests contaminated medicine as the cause of kidney failure," Singh said. A team from ICMR has been called in to investigate further.