In the wake of alarming reports of child deaths linked to substandard cough syrups in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday convened a high-level virtual meeting with health secretaries from all states and union territories. The meeting was chaired by Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, who called for urgent action to protect public health.
Srivastava commended Rajasthan’s prompt response, which included enhanced surveillance, public advisories and technical investigations. As part of its preventive measures, Rajasthan has mandated special warning labels on cough syrups that may pose risks to vulnerable groups. Madhya Pradesh has reported 16 child deaths, 14 in Chhindwara and 2 in Betul, while Rajasthan has confirmed two fatalities, one each in Bharatpur and Sikar.
Top developments
-
A high-level meeting chaired by Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava praised Rajasthan’s proactive response to recent health concerns, highlighting their efforts in surveillance, public advisories and technical investigations. Srivastava urged other states to adopt similar measures, especially to protect children and pregnant women.
-
Rajasthan’s key actions include door-to-door surveys, public awareness campaigns on safe medicine use, restrictions on certain cough syrups, sample testing, and forming a technical committee to investigate child health issues. The state also mandated special warning labels on syrups harmful to children and pregnant women.
-
Rajasthan’s Additional Chief Secretary for Health, Gayatri Rathore, confirmed that all affected cough syrup batches were immediately banned and extensive counseling was provided to healthcare providers and the public.
-
In neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, following reports of child deaths, the Drugs Department launched a comprehensive investigation. After receiving a warning about contamination in a specific batch of COLDRIF Syrup from Tamil Nadu’s M/s Sresan Pharmaceutical, officials seized the syrup and other products from the same manufacturer.
-
All cough syrups in pharmacies and hospitals are being sampled and tested urgently, and manufacturing units’ propylene glycol samples will also be examined. UP authorities have implemented a centralised data system to avoid duplicate sampling, while the Food Safety and Drug Administration has mandated strict compliance with safety norms.
-
In UP, Medical Supplies Corporation was instructed to halt distribution of affected stocks, and chemist groups have been asked to report their inventories of suspicious syrups. These measures aim to contain potential health risks swiftly and efficiently.
-
Additionally, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has restricted the sale, distribution, and use of Coldrif syrup, Batch No. SR-13, because it was found to be contaminated with a toxic chemical. The order was issued on October 5, 2025.
-
The Union Health Ministry warned that licenses of drug manufacturers violating the norms will be revoked. States were urged to promote rational cough syrup use, especially for children, and strengthen surveillance, reporting and inter-state coordination via systems like IDSP-IHIP for quicker, effective responses.
-
In Madhya Pradesh, the Jabalpur administration and health department have sealed the godown of Kataria Pharmaceuticals, the distributor of the now-banned Coldrif cough syrup linked to child deaths. Meanwhile, doctors and chemists have protested, demanding stricter regulatory oversight and greater accountability from pharmaceutical companies.
-
Several political leaders have demanded accountability and decisive action. Sachin Pilot called for a judicial inquiry into the child deaths linked to contaminated cough syrup, saying a government probe won’t reveal the full truth. Meanwhile, Congress slammed Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on X for visiting Assam amid the state’s ongoing child health crisis.
– Ends