The Rajasthan government has ordered a probe after two children died in Sikar after allegedly consuming cough syrup secured from a government hospital. According to officials, after receiving complaints, the state health department has constituted a three-member committee after two deaths were reported from consuming the medicine, Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide Syrup IP 13.5 mg/5 ml. Health officials in Sikar, however, have denied that the syrup was sold at the hospital pharmacy. One of the victims has been identified as five-year-old Nityansh Sharma from Sikar. According to his grandfather Nemichand Sharma, Nityansh was given the medicine on the night of September 28. “He woke up at 3 am asking for water,” Sharma. “Later, when my daughter-in-law checked at 5 am, he was unresponsive. We rushed him to the hospital, but he was declared dead.” The family claims that they secured they bought the syrup at the hospital pharmacy, although officials have denied this in their preliminary report. In another case, the parents of two-year-old Samrat Jatav from Bharatpur claimed their son died on September 22 after consuming the same syrup. His siblings, who also took the medicine, fell ill but vomited it out and survived, the family have alleged. Eight more children reportedly fell sick after taking the syrup in Banswara but later recovered. Medical Secretary Gayatri Rathore said the medicine is being tested in the laboratory and that the results will take a few days. “Since 2017, around 1.3 lakh bottles have been sold from government dispensaries. Most people faced no issues. It appears this particular batch may be problematic. Until reports are in, we have stopped the supply,” she said, adding that the syrup can cause severe reactions in children with breathing trouble or drowsiness. Meanwhile, the sale of the medicine has been suspended across the state until the probe is complete. Distribution of a similar cough syrup from another company has also been halted as a precautionary measure, pending quality re-tests, officials said.
