In Chhindwara district, 4658 children were tested during a special screening. Of these, 4411 children received normal results. So, are the test results of 247 children abnormal?
-Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, Madhya Pradesh in its letter to chief minister
Bhopal:
Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA), Madhya Pradesh has in a letter written to chief minister of Madhya Pradesh demanded a judicial inquiry into death of as many as nine kids in Chhindwara district to fix responsibility and prevent recurrence of such incidents.
The JSA, Madhya Pradesh says in the letter, “We are deeply concerned about the tragic death of 9 children in Chhindwara district, and reports of many other children falling ill after consuming cough syrup. In Chhindwara district, 4658 children were tested during a special screening. Of these, 4411 children received normal results. So, are the test results of 247 children abnormal?”
छिंदवाड़ा में Coldrif सिरप के कारण हुई बच्चों की मृत्यु अत्यंत दुखद है। इस सिरप की बिक्री को पूरे मध्यप्रदेश में बैन कर दिया है। सिरप को बनाने वाली कंपनी के अन्य प्रोडक्ट की बिक्री पर भी बैन लगाया जा रहा है।
सिरप बनाने वाली फैक्ट्री कांचीपुरम में है, इसलिए घटना के संज्ञान में…
— Dr Mohan Yadav (@DrMohanYadav51) October 4, 2025
The organisation says according to media reports harmful chemicals used in coolants like diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG) have been found in the syrup given to children. These chemicals are highly toxic and have a devastating effect on the kidneys, liver, and brain. Their use in medicines is completely illegal.
“Similar contaminated syrups have previously caused child deaths in India and abroad (Gambia, Uzbekistan, etc.)”, adds JSA and says this incident exposes a serious failure in the state’s drug supply and quality control system.
प्रदेश कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्री जीतू पटवारी जी परासिया एवं छिंदवाड़ा का दौरा कर, ज़हरीले कफ सिरप से किडनी फेल होने के कारण जान गंवाने वाले 12 मासूम बच्चों के परिवारों से भेंट कर शोक-संवेदना व्यक्त करेंगे।
🗒️6 अक्टूबर 2025
📍परासिया एवं छिंदवाड़ा pic.twitter.com/epXmhZ6NQK— MP Congress (@INCMP) October 5, 2025
The first death due to cough syrup consumption was reported on September 7 and nine children have died since then, but the drug has not yet been banned, nor has any strict action been taken”, adds the organisation.
It is noteworthy, says JSA, that the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) recently stated in its November 2024 reports that Madhya Pradesh’s failure to submit annual drug plans, delays in tenders, the lack of essential medicines in hospitals and 263 types of expired drugs in Chhindwara and other hospitals indicate deficiencies in drug management.
JSA further says these deficiencies in drug supply and quality testing systems have been raised several times before. Similarly, according to data presented in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, 138 out of 229 drug samples tested in government laboratories between April 2021 and June 2025 were found to be “substandard.”
मेरे छिन्दवाड़ा परिवार के 11 मासूम बच्चों की मौत दुख:द और हृदय विदारक है। मानव जनित त्रासदी और भाजपा सरकार की लापरवाही का शिकार हुए परिवारों के प्रति मेरी शोक संवेदनाएं है।
पीड़ित परिवारों के साथ मैं स्वयं और पूरा कांग्रेस परिवार खड़ा है।
परासिया क्षेत्र के प्रत्येक मासूम… pic.twitter.com/jqqkt3Gu5U
— Kamal Nath (@OfficeOfKNath) October 5, 2025
Licenses for several products have been revoked in these cases, and action is pending against some companies. This clearly demonstrates that the state’s drug quality monitoring system is poor and requires serious reform, states JSA.
In view of the above, JSA demand, immediate action needed is immediate relief and compensation. Hence, the families of the deceased children should be provided with adequate compensation, and the affected children should be provided free and appropriate treatment.
JSA has demanded that criminal cases be filed against the guilty pharmaceutical companies and the guilty officials besides banning the drug.
The JSA has also demanded a comprehensive drug quality audit, strengthening of the regulatory system and improvement in the public health safety.
The Abhiyan has urged the CM to personally monitor this matter and take swift action against the culprits. The official press note from the JSA has been issued by Shrikant Vaishnav, Amulya Nidhi, Sudha Tiwari, Dr GD Verma, Rahul Yadav, Rajkumar Sinha and Dhirendra Arya.
