A shocking case has emerged from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh over the deaths of six children in the district allegedly due to the consumption of cough syrups. Biopsy reports have revealed that the children suffered kidney failure. As soon as the matter came to light, the Chhindwara collector took immediate action and imposed a ban on two cough syrups - Coldrif and Nextro-DS.
New facts are coming to light about a mysterious illness spreading in the Parasia region of Chhindwara. Reports of three samples tested in a virological lab suggested that multiple antibiotic drugs may have been the primary cause of kidney failure in the victims. Over the past month, more than six children are reported to have died due to kidney failure.
Madhya Pradesh cough syrup deaths: What doctors say
Deepak Patel, a paediatrician at the Chhindwara Medical College, said, "We are seeing a strange type of illness in children. They come with fever and within five to seven days they stop passing urine. On investigation, their kidneys are found to have failed. They need dialysis in Nagpur as part of repair treatment. Six children have already died and dialysis is being done on seven to eight more. This is a subject of research, the definitive cause has not yet been identified. A new child has just come in with kidney failure and we have referred him to Nagpur."
Six deaths in a month
According to sources, after September 1, complaints of cold, cough and fever increased among children in Parasia, Umreth, Jatachapar, Barkuhi and surrounding villages. Families began buying cough syrups from local doctors and medical shops to treat their children. However, within a few days, the children’s condition deteriorated. They stopped passing urine and grew increasingly weak. Seeing their condition worsen, families first took them to hospitals in Parasia and Chhindwara, and later to Nagpur for advanced care. Despite these efforts, six children could not be saved.
Chhindwara collector Shailendra Singh said, "The first death due to kidney failure occurred on September 4 in Parasia, followed by another death there, then another on the 6th. By the 26th, six deaths had occurred. Blood samples and CSF tests were conducted, which ruled out Japanese encephalitis, Chandipura or any viral infection. The common finding was anuria, that is, the inability to produce urine. We collected 538 samples, and kidney and liver function tests were conducted on 300 of them, but no disease was found. Teams from SCDS and CDC have visited, and the government has created a protocol. Parents are advised not to give medicines bought directly from shops to children."
Considering the rising cases, the collector held a meeting with the CMHO, the dean of the medical college and doctors. He appealed to parents not to take their children to quack doctors for treatment and also issued following guidelines for the public:
- Do not give medicines to children without a prescription.
- In case of cold and cough, immediately take children to the nearest government hospital.
- Do not get children treated by quack doctors.
- Ensure every six hours that the child is urinating. If not, consult a doctor immediately.
- If a child shows vomiting or lethargy, do not delay and take them to a doctor at once.
- Make children drink as much water as possible.
- If fever persists for more than two days, get medical treatment promptly.
Two cough syrup brands banned
Meanwhile, the collector banned the sale of Coldrif and Nextro-DS syrups and directed medical shops to provide only standard syrups.
Amid the fiasco, the father of one of the deceased children, Umesh Kumar Vishwakarma, said that on September 22 his daughter’s condition suddenly deteriorated. She had initially suffered from mild fever but her health worsened quickly. When admitted to the district hospital, it was found that she had not passed urine for two days and her kidneys had failed.
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