CHHINDWARA (Madhya Pradesh): The number of pediatric deaths linked to suspected toxic cough syrup has climbed to 22 after two more children passed away due to kidney-related complications, officials confirmed on Thursday.
According to Chhindwara’s Additional Collector Dhirendra Singh Netri, the latest victims—five-year-old Vishal and four-year-old Mayank Suryavanshi—died on Wednesday evening and late Wednesday night respectively. Both had been receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Nagpur, Maharashtra, after their conditions deteriorated following alleged consumption of the tainted syrup.
The ongoing crisis has triggered alarm across multiple districts, with several children developing symptoms consistent with acute kidney injury and other complications. Medical experts and state authorities have flagged a possible link between the children’s illnesses and the intake of a specific batch of cough syrup, now under scrutiny for contamination.
Health officials and investigators are currently awaiting lab reports to confirm the presence of harmful substances in the medication. Preliminary findings have pointed toward diethylene glycol (DEG) as a possible contaminant—a toxic industrial solvent that has been found in similar cases in the past and is lethal when ingested.
The deaths have sparked outrage among affected families and concern among health authorities, prompting an urgent review of drug safety standards in the state and nationwide. The cough syrup in question is reported to have been locally distributed, and no evidence has yet confirmed whether the batch was sold outside the region.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and state health departments have begun inspecting manufacturing units and recalling suspicious stocks. Pharmacies have also been instructed to withhold the sale of the suspect product pending further instructions.
Government officials are urging parents to avoid administering over-the-counter medications to children without proper consultation, as the investigation continues.
This developing situation adds to growing concerns around pharmaceutical quality control in India, following similar cases reported in recent years involving contaminated syrups. As health teams continue to monitor and trace the source of the contamination, families await answers—and justice—for the young lives lost.
