In the cough syrup-linked deaths, the toll has risen to 22, as two more children succumbed to kidney infection caused by the consumption of "contaminated" cough syrup.Officials have confirmed that 5-year-old Vishal and 4-year-old Mayank Suryavanshi died on Wednesday evening and late at night, respectively, while they were undergoing treatment at a hospital in Nagpur, which is in Maharashtra - the neighboring state to Madhya Pradesh, where the cough syrup row had begun. The contaminated cough syrup has severely affected children in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara. The deaths of two more children who hailed from Chhindwara have been confirmed by Chhindwara's Additional Collector, Dhirendra Singh Netri. Officials have also confirmed that several other children are undergoing treatment due to the same cough syrup in Nagpur.Also Read: Alpha To Delta To Frankenstein: Revisiting All The COVID Mutations And Decoding Its Virality And Threat The Madhya Pradesh Police has now formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), to investigate the deaths. A case has been filed the manufacturer of the cough syrup Coldrif, which is allegedly causing these deaths. The manufacturers are based in Tamil Nadu, and the company is called Sresan Pharma. The SIT has arrested Sresan Pharma owner Ranganathan Govindan from Chennai, as confirmed by PTI. Two drug inspectors in Tamil Nadu have been suspended, and a deputy director of the Food and Drug Administration has transferred the state's drug controller amid the investigation. Additionally, a Chhindwara-based doctor, Dr Praveen Soni has been arrested for negligence for prescribing the cough syrup. Following his arrest, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has declared to go on an indefinite strike in the district. As per the IMA, pharmaceutical companies and drug controller bodies bear the responsibility for thoroughly testing medicines before they reach the market. Doctors cannot ascertain the quality of components, as only content, not the base, is mentioned on bottles, noted Aparna Shukla, President of IMA, Chhindwara. What Happened In Madhya Pradesh? What Is The Cough Syrup Row?Following the deaths of 14 children in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara after consuming the toxic cough syrup, the Union Health Ministry has confirmed that the batch of Coldrif manufactured at a Tamil Nadu facility contained diethylene glycol (DEG) beyond safe limits. Earlier samples collected in Madhya Pradesh had tested negative, but contamination was detected when Tamil Nadu authorities examined the products directly at Sresan Pharma in Kanchipuram.As a result, several states have now banned the syrup, and the Centre has ordered inspections at 19 pharmaceutical units across 6 states, as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).Read: Popular Cough Syrup 'Coldrif' Banned For Kids In Several Indian States Due To Presence Of DEG; Why Is It Alarming? What Does Diethylene Glycol Do?According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG) are industrial chemicals used in antifreeze, paints, brake fluids, and plastics. They are not intended for medicinal use but can enter drugs if contaminated or if industrial-grade raw materials are used instead of pharmaceutical grade ingredients such as glycerine or propylene glycol.Once consumed, DEG and EG break down into toxic compounds that can harm the kidneys, liver, and nervous system. Tamil Nadu drug officials found that Coldrif contained 48.6% DEG - is far above safe limits. The Centre has initiated inspections at 19 pharmaceutical units in six states, filed FIRs, and taken regulatory action in multiple regions.Several children remain hospitalized across states after consuming the syrup. Doctors are providing treatments including dialysis, but they warn that affected children may continue to experience long-term kidney and nerve problems.
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