MP doctor arrested for prescribing 'toxic' cough syrup to children

Chhindwara, Oct 5 (IANS) A doctor in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district has been arrested after the deaths of 10 children linked to the consumption of adulterated Coldrif cough syrup triggered widespread outrage, officials said on Sunday.

Most of the deceased children were treated at the private clinic of paediatrician Dr Praveen Soni in Parasia. Soni, who is also employed as a government doctor, reportedly prescribed the Coldrif syrup to several children suffering from cough and seasonal fever.

The tragedy unfolded after the youngsters, who initially showed signs of recovery, later developed severe complications that led to kidney failure and, ultimately, death.

Following the incident, the Madhya Pradesh government has registered a case against Srisan Pharmaceuticals, the Tamil Nadu-based company located in Kanchipuram that manufactures Coldrif.

Authorities confirmed that the syrup samples tested positive for dangerously high levels of diethylene glycol -- a highly toxic industrial solvent.

According to officials, laboratory analysis conducted by the government drug analyst at the Drug Testing Laboratory in Chennai revealed that the syrup contained 48.6 per cent diethylene glycol.

The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Drug Control subsequently declared the sample "Not of Standard Quality". The state government promptly imposed a ban on the sale and distribution of Coldrif across Madhya Pradesh.

As a further precaution, local authorities also prohibited the sale of another cough syrup, 'Nextro-DS', while awaiting its test results.

The test report confirming Coldrif's toxicity was received on Saturday, while results for Nextro-DS are expected soon.

The chain of events began when a wave of children suffering from routine cough and fever were treated with the syrup. Initially, their symptoms subsided, but soon after, they began to experience severe complications, including drastically reduced urine output -- a sign of acute kidney injury.

As their condition deteriorated, kidney biopsies were conducted, which confirmed the presence of diethylene glycol poisoning.

The affected children were first admitted to Chhindwara District Hospital, but as their health worsened, several were shifted to Nagpur in Maharashtra for advanced treatment.

Despite medical efforts, three children died in Nagpur, while six others lost their lives in Chhindwara over the following days.

Authorities have now launched a detailed investigation into how the toxic syrup reached the market and why it was prescribed to children.

Officials continue to probe the role of Srisan Pharmaceuticals and the distribution chain involved in supplying the contaminated batch.

Authorities have been instructed to maintain strict surveillance on the movement of Coldrif Syrup and ensure full compliance with the ban.

Health officials have urged parents and caregivers to avoid administering Coldrif Syrup and to report any adverse reactions in children to the nearest health facility.

--IANS

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