Nationwide protests erupt over cough syrup deaths; crackdown on pharma firms intensifies

AAP protest in Jaipur over Cough syrup row. PIC/ PTI

Protests erupted across multiple states on Sunday following the deaths of 11 children in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district, allegedly after consuming Coldrif cough syrup.

The tragedy has triggered nationwide outrage and forced authorities to take swift action against medical negligence and pharmaceutical malpractice.

According to the news agency ANI, in Bhopal, Congress workers staged demonstrations against Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla, demanding his resignation. Protesters carried banners reading "Rajendra Shukla sharam karo, istefaa do" and "Masoom bacche ki maut ke saudagar zimmedari lo".

Simultaneously, protests were held in Jaipur, where Congress workers carried placards with slogans such as "Nakli dawa band karo, doshiyo ke khilaaf karwayi karo, BJP sarkaar jawaab do." The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also staged demonstrations outside Kaysons Pharma, demanding that the company be shut down immediately.

As per the ANI, AAP worker Amit Dadhich accused the government of allowing counterfeit medicines to circulate, calling it a grave injustice. "Several children are in the ICU after taking this syrup. Even a doctor who consumed it fainted and was admitted to the hospital," he said. Fellow party worker Ashutosh Ranka questioned how a company shut down two years ago could still be distributing medicines, challenging the government to prove their safety on camera.

Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh government has launched action against those involved. Dr Pradeep Soni, a paediatrician in Parasia, Chhindwara, who had prescribed the syrup to multiple children, was suspended with immediate effect on Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's orders and is now in police custody. Police also booked Sresan Pharmaceuticals of Tamil Nadu, the manufacturer of Coldrif, as the prime accused under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

Following the deaths, the Madhya Pradesh government banned the sale of Coldrif syrup across the state. In the last 30 days, 11 children have died due to kidney failure linked to its consumption.

The Rajasthan government also responded quickly, suspending the state drug controller, halting distribution of all medicines from Kaysons Pharma, and initiating an expert committee to investigate. Warning labels will now be mandatory on potentially harmful drugs.

In Delhi, the Union Health Ministry issued a nationwide advisory urging the rational use of cough syrups in children, highlighting serious health risks.

(With ANI inputs)