The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is currently investigating the deaths of several children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan due to consumption of a cough syrup that was allegedly contaminated. The syrup in question has already been banned while samples have been sent to the state drug authority for testing.
A total of seven children – six in Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh and one in Sikar district, Rajasthan – are reported to have lost their lives following kidney failure after being administered the said cough syrup. A doctor in Chhindwara today said the total number of deaths may have now possibly risen to nine.
Cough syrup deaths or other reasons?
Dr Pawan Nandurkar, Associate Professor and Head of Paediatrics, Chhindwara said while the deaths have been blamed on the dextromethorphan cough syrup, it is possible that the kidney failure in children could have been caused by something else. The dextromethorphan syrup is manufactured by a Jaipur-based firm.
“Recently, reports indicated that 7 of our children had died, but now it appears the number has increased to 9… The deaths and the kidney injury case are linked to the cough syrup called Coldrif, which everyone is blaming. However, investigations are still ongoing, and it’s possible that the kidney injury was caused by something else altogether…,” Dr Nandurkar was quoted as saying by ANI.
“The team collected samples of all items and sent them for testing. The reports are still pending. Samples of the syrup suspected of causing the deaths have also been collected and sent for analysis. The complete extent of its responsibility will become clear once the report is received… The district administration has currently prohibited the sale of Coldrif and Nesto DS cough syrups until their test reports are received,” he added.
Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh: On deaths of 6 children in one month in the district, Dr Pawan Nandurkar, Associate Professor and Head of Paediatrics, says, “Recently, reports indicated that 7 of our children had died, but now it appears the number has increased to 9… The deaths… pic.x.com/2nIu1yr4Xd
— ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2025
Other unnamed officials have also stated that NCDC and various agencies are also conducting tests on water and entomological samples to rule out infectious diseases as the possible cause of children’s deaths.
The deaths began to occur on September 4 and continued till the last week of the month.
The families of the affected children are reported to have said that the kids were initially suffering from cold, cough and fever. But after consuming the cough syrup, their kidneys got affected and their condition became worse.
Chhindwara’s Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Naresh Gunnade said that six children died in the district between September 4 and September 26 due to kidney failure.
Not just children but even adults who consumed the cough syrup also reported adverse reactions, including vomiting, drowsiness, anxiety, dizziness, restlessness and even unconsciousness.
It was suspected that the cough syrup, which has been temporarily banned from sale pending investigations, was laced with toxic diethylene glycol.
Thankfully, no new cases have been reported after the affected areas in the two states over the last few days.
Politics over alleged cough syrup deaths
Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh Health Minister Rajendra Shukla has been accused of seeking to protect the firm which manufactures the cough syrup concerned.
Shukla denied any link between the cough syrup and the deaths of six children in Chhindwara district despite the fact that a test report is yet to be received on whether the cough syrup was contaminated or not.
He said preliminary findings show no contamination in the syrup, claiming, “The matter of the cough syrup is baseless, and these deaths did not occur due to the cough syrup for sure.”
Latching onto the issue, the Congress asked why was the state health minister trying to protect a pharmaceutical firm? Congress MLA Arif Masood said Shukla made irresponsible remarks and defended the cough syrup company. He asked why was the minister giving a clean chit to the company even before the investigation was complete?
“This is a very regrettable response from the health minister; he should rethink it. If the health minister makes such a statement, instead of providing justice to the public, he stands in favour of the company. What is the purpose of protecting the cough syrup company? The investigation is ongoing, and the ICMR is examining the report. Nevertheless, he is still giving a clean chit to the company. This raises questions against him (minister) that instead of ensuring justice for the public and the families of those who died, the health minister is defending the company. This is not a good thing at all,” Masood said.