Nagpur/Chhindwara: Amid growing concern over the deaths of 11 children in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district allegedly linked to the consumption of Coldrif cough syrup, the Director of Colors Hospital in Nagpur, Dr. Ritesh Agarwal, stated that the exact cause of the kidney complications seen in the affected children has yet to be identified.
Dr. Agarwal shared details of a critical case involving a child referred from Chhindwara to Nagpur. “The child had a fever 2–3 days before admission and had not passed urine for 24 hours. After initial treatment in Chhindwara failed to improve the condition, tests revealed kidney swelling, and the child was referred to our hospital,” he said.
Upon arrival in Nagpur, the child’s condition was critical. Blood tests showed dangerously high levels of creatinine and urea, indicating severe kidney dysfunction. “We performed further investigations and initiated dialysis when kidney function did not improve,” Dr. Agarwal explained.
The child has since shown significant recovery. “For the past 5–6 days, dialysis has not been required, and the child’s urine output and creatinine levels have normalized,” he added.
However, Dr. Agarwal emphasized that the root cause remains unclear. “We cannot yet confirm whether the condition was caused by a viral infection, a toxic substance, or the cough syrup itself. The child belongs to an agricultural region where pesticide exposure is also a possibility.”
Government Action and Ongoing Investigations
In response to the incident, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced ₹4 lakh in financial aid to the families of each of the 11 deceased children. Ten of the victims were from Chhindwara district, while one belonged to the newly formed Pandhurna district.
The state government has banned the sale of Coldrif cough syrup across Madhya Pradesh and launched a crackdown to seize remaining stock.
At the national level, the Union Health Ministry has issued an advisory urging cautious and rational use of cough syrups in children. The advisory highlights that such syrups are generally not recommended for children under five, and older children should only be given cough syrups after careful clinical evaluation and monitoring.
A multidisciplinary team is currently analyzing samples and related factors to determine the exact cause of the deaths.
Similar Case in Rajasthan
Meanwhile, a similar tragedy has unfolded in Rajasthan, where two children reportedly died after consuming cough syrup distributed under the Chief Minister’s Free Medicine Scheme. In response, the Rajasthan government has suspended Drug Controller Rajaram Sharma and halted the distribution of all 19 medicines supplied by Kayson Pharma, the manufacturer in question.
Since 2012, over 10,000 samples of Kayson Pharma’s medicines have been tested, with 42 found to be substandard, according to Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited.
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has ordered a thorough investigation into the matter.
