A four-year-old boy from Madhya Pradesh has died at AIIMS Nagpur, months after he slipped into a coma following the alleged consumption of Coldrif cough syrup, officials said on Monday, reviving painful memories of last year’s fatal medicine tragedy.
The child, Harsh, was a resident of Tikabarri village in Betul district, bordering Chhindwara. He had remained in a coma for over four months and was undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit at AIIMS Nagpur, where he died on Sunday night.
Linked to earlier child deaths
Harsh’s death comes against the backdrop of a major public health crisis reported in September and October last year, when at least 24 children from Chhindwara and Betul districts died after consuming the same cough syrup. Investigations later revealed that the syrup contained diethylene glycol, a highly toxic chemical known to cause acute kidney failure.
Betul Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Manoj Hurmade confirmed the death and said a post-mortem examination was conducted in Nagpur on Monday. “The exact cause of death will be confirmed after the post-mortem report,” he said.
Family recalls sudden deterioration
Harsh’s uncle, Shyam Yadav, said the child was being treated by a private doctor in Parasia, Chhindwara, and his condition worsened after consuming the prescribed cough syrup. The child was later shifted to AIIMS, where he remained hospitalised for months. His last rites were performed on Monday evening.
Probe and action taken earlier
Following the earlier deaths, the Drug Controller General of India launched an investigation. The Madhya Pradesh government banned the sale of Coldrif syrup in October, and arrests were made, including that of the manufacturer and a government doctor who had recommended the medicine.
Tests conducted by a government drug testing laboratory and confirmed by the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Drug Control found the syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceuticals, to be adulterated, containing nearly 49 per cent diethylene glycol.
Harsh’s death has once again raised serious concerns over drug safety, regulatory oversight, and accountability in the distribution of medicines meant for children.