Deadly Cough Syrup Tragedy: 16 Children Die from Diethylene Glycol Poisoning in India

(Clockwise from left) Shivam, Chanclesh, Vidhi, Hetansh, Usaid, Garmit, Kabir and Adnan have died

Bhopal:

The cough syrup tragedy in Madhya Pradesh has claimed 16 young lives, revealing severe deficiencies in drug safety protocols that have left families devastated. As authorities belatedly respond with bans and seizures, parents grapple with the horrifying realization that what they administered as medicine was actually toxic.

The crisis began unfolding in late August in Chhindwara district. By early September, the first death occurred, and within two weeks, six children under five had succumbed to kidney failure. These children shared a common history—all suffered from mild respiratory symptoms for which local physicians prescribed standard medications, including cough syrup. Their conditions rapidly deteriorated, with decreased urine output leading to kidney infection diagnoses and dialysis treatments. Tragically, all died within days, some while receiving treatment in neighboring Maharashtra's Nagpur.

Kidney biopsies revealed a shocking discovery—diethylene glycol, a toxic industrial chemical, was present in the children's kidneys. Most victims had been given Coldrif and Nextro-DS syrups. The death toll subsequently rose to 16 in Madhya Pradesh, with four additional fatalities in Rajasthan also linked to contaminated cough syrups.

Mohammed Amin Khan described how his five-year-old son Adnan fell ill after taking syrup prescribed by Dr. Praveen Soni, who has since been arrested for negligence. "After the syrup, he began vomiting and stopped urinating. We discovered it was kidney infection and rushed him to Nagpur, where he died."

The parents of three-year-old Vikas shared a similar experience after consulting Dr. Soni for their son's fever. "Following the prescribed medication, he began vomiting. The doctor then recommended an injection. Soon after, our son stopped urinating. We transferred him from Chhindwara to Nagpur," Vikas's father recounted.

Each victim's family reported an identical progression—vomiting, cessation of urination, diagnosis of acute kidney failure, and eventual death.

Devansh Yaduvanshi's mother, devastated by her seven-year-old's death, remembers his suffering vividly: "The initial dialysis lasted ninety minutes. The next day required three hours, then five. He was fading away. On the final day, doctors said they had exhausted all options."

Despite mounting evidence suggesting contaminated cough syrup was responsible for these deaths, Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla initially denied any contamination on October 1, stating, "Preliminary investigation found no contamination in the syrup." He later clarified he was referring only to three specific samples.

Investigation centered on Coldrif, manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceuticals in Tamil Nadu's Kancheepuram. On October 2, Tamil Nadu drug authorities confirmed the syrup sample was adulterated, containing diethylene glycol (48.6% w/v), a toxic substance "which may render the contents injurious to health."

The Madhya Pradesh government finally took action on October 4, when Chief Minister Mohan Yadav attributed the deaths to Coldrif cough syrup and imposed a complete ban on its sale. The Deputy Chief Minister later described the deaths as "unfortunate" and promised strict action against those responsible.

Diethylene glycol, found in high concentrations in the Coldrif samples, is an industrial chemical used in manufacturing printing ink, adhesives, brake fluid, and lubricants. Consumption can severely damage the kidneys, liver, and nervous system. Children are particularly vulnerable, with even small amounts potentially proving fatal. Symptoms begin with nausea, abdominal pain, and reduced urination, potentially progressing to acute kidney failure, seizures, and death.

The World Health Organization has connected cough syrups contaminated with diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol to over 300 child fatalities worldwide since 2022, including approximately 70 children in Gambia. In 2020, Jammu and Kashmir's Ramnagar district reported 17 children's deaths linked to Coldbest PC cough syrup containing 34.97% diethylene glycol.

With this crisis affecting multiple states, federal authorities have intervened. Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava convened high-level meetings with states and territories, instructing them to ensure "rational" cough syrup use, especially among children. The Health Ministry emphasized that most coughs resolve naturally without medication.

Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research, advised against prescribing cough syrups or combination drugs to children to avoid adverse effects. He urged states to strengthen coordination for emergency responses. Director General of Health Services Dr. Sunita Sharma noted that cough medications provide minimal proven benefits to children while posing significant risks.

Most victims came from economically disadvantaged families, for whom medical consultations already strained their finances. As the illnesses escalated, these families sold possessions and borrowed extensively in desperate attempts to save their children. The government's announced compensation of Rs 4 lakh per victim offers little consolation to bereaved parents.

Yasin Khan, a 30-year-old auto-rickshaw driver who lost his three-year-old son Usaid, sold his vehicle—his livelihood—to raise over Rs 4 lakh for treatment. "I thought if I saved him, I could purchase another auto-rickshaw. Now I've lost my son, my work, and all hope."

Prakash Yaduvanshi, whose seven-year-old son Devansh died, mortgaged his farm, pawned family jewelry, and borrowed extensively to fund the Rs 7 lakh treatment. "As a paralytic patient, we were already struggling." With nothing remaining, he plans to seek justice through the courts.

Kamlesh, father of four-year-old Kabir, mortgaged his land for Rs 2.5 lakh to fund treatments in Nagpur and Bhopal. "I believed money could save him, but my resources were exhausted before his life ended."

In Parasia's narrow streets, grief pervades the atmosphere, occasionally broken by a mother's cries as she clutches her deceased child's clothing, desperately seeking their scent. "We don't want compensation," says Usaid's mother. "We want justice for every child who received that poison disguised as medicine."