Rising water levels in Kanpur's Pandu river have added to the difficulties faced by residents of Barra Mayapuram, where floodwater has entered homes and concerns over infections are growing. Amid the relief efforts, a case has now emerged involving syrup allegedly past its expiry date being distributed to flood-affected families.
Families claim that some children fell ill after taking the syrup, which reportedly had an expiry date of July 2026. They said the children developed vomiting and were taken to private doctors, where their condition improved after treatment. However, there is no official confirmation that the syrup was directly responsible for the children's illness. That will be established only after the ongoing investigation.
How did expired syrup reach the relief camp?
The issue came to light after medicines were distributed to around 20 flood-affected families in the Mayapuram area on Monday. Health department officials had reached the locality with medicines as part of the relief effort, and the syrup in question was among those distributed.
Relatives alleged that the bottle carried an expiry date of July 2026. Among those given the syrup was four-year-old Rishabh, the son of Barra Mayapuram residents Jaipal and Meena. Meena said her son began vomiting after consuming it and was taken to a doctor for treatment, following which his condition improved.
Families of three-year-old Rudra, son of Sonam and Rinku, and three-year-old Ayush, son of Ankita and Ajay, also reported that the children became unwell.
The reports have raised questions over how a medicine that had allegedly crossed its expiry date reached the relief distribution process.
CMO says syrup was not recently issued from government stock
Chief Medical Officer Dr Haridutt Nemi said the health department began investigating after information about the medicine emerged on social media.
According to the CMO, the particular medicine had entered the department's government supply in 2025. However, he said it had not recently been distributed to any health team and was no longer available in the department's current stock.
The department is now checking the batch number and supply chain to establish how the syrup reached the relief camp. The CMO said government medicines are entered into supply registers and their expiry dates are checked before distribution.
This makes the source of the particular bottle a key part of the investigation.
Flood-affected families refuse medicines
Concern over the syrup quickly spread through the area after several families reported children becoming unwell. Some residents said they threw away the syrup and other medicines they had received.
When the health department team returned to Mayapuram on Tuesday with medicines, some flood-affected residents refused to accept them. They demanded that officials first clarify the medicines' expiry dates, batch numbers and complete supply details.
Residents said that during a flood, when medicines are being provided to help prevent illness, they do not want to take any risk if the source or safety of the medicines is in question.
Family alleges Rs 100 treatment offer
Rishabh's mother Meena alleged that members of the health department team acknowledged that the syrup had been given by mistake and offered Rs 100 towards the child's treatment.
The family refused to accept the money. The relatives questioned who would have been responsible had the child's condition become more serious.
They also said that quality checks on relief supplies and medicines should be particularly strict during a disaster such as a flood.
Investigation underway into medicine supply
Dr Haridutt Nemi said the department is examining the batch number and supply chain after receiving information about the syrup. He reiterated that the medicine had been supplied to the department in 2025 but was not currently in stock and had not recently been issued to any health team.
He said the facts that emerge from the investigation would determine the next course of action. If negligence is found at any level, action would be taken against those responsible.
At the same time, the CMO said the department would also examine whether any incorrect information about the matter had been circulated on social media. Action would be taken on that aspect as well if the investigation establishes that the information was false.
Kanpur is also dealing with a separate health concern, with the threat of H1N1 increasing in the city. The health department has stepped up vigilance after new H1N1 cases were reported and a 30-year-old man died.
Report by: Anurag Srivastava
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