Chhindwara: Madhya Pradesh is reeling after the deaths of nine children in Chhindwara district in just over two weeks, all succumbing to kidney failure. What initially appeared to be seasonal fever cases has now taken a deadly turn, raising serious concerns among health authorities.
Health officials in Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring Rajasthan—where a similar death was reported in Sikar recently—suspect that the organ failures are linked to the consumption of contaminated dextromethorphan hydrobromide-based cough syrups.
Parasia Sub-divisional Magistrate Shubham Yadav confirmed that nine children had died in Chhindwara as of late last night. “Precautionary measures are being implemented,” he said, noting that six deaths had already been reported by October 1.
In response, urgent testing of cough syrup batches is underway, and a statewide halt on their distribution has been enforced. Authorities are monitoring a line list of 1,420 children showing symptoms such as cold, fever, and flu-like illness.
A strict monitoring protocol has been set: any child sick for more than two days is observed for six hours at the Civil Hospital. If their condition deteriorates, they are referred to the District Hospital. Once stabilized, children are sent home under continued supervision by ASHA workers.
Officials confirmed that water and mosquito-related tests conducted on the affected areas returned normal. A sample sent to the National Institute of Virology also tested normal, while results from CSIR water tests are awaited.
Among the nine children who died, at least five had taken Coldref syrup, and one had consumed Nextro syrup. Private doctors have been instructed to avoid treating viral patients at their clinics, instead referring them directly to the Civil Hospital.
The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), India’s nodal agency for disease surveillance, has collected water and entomological drug samples from hospitals and other sites in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where multiple children have died following the alleged consumption of contaminated cough syrups.
