Ban dextromethorphan cough syrup... It claimed the lives of three children in 2021, so why was the poison being distributed in Rajasthan?

When the Union Health Ministry banned the use of cough syrup dextromethorphan on children in Delhi after the death of three children due to it, then why was this not done in Rajasthan?

Dextromethorphan Cough Syrup: Cough syrup has become a death threat for children in Rajasthan. In the last 5-6 days, children have fallen ill in various incidents from Bharatpur to Sikar and Jaipur to Banswara. Initially, it is being said that the children's health deteriorated after consuming the cough syrup. The children's families claim that the children's health deteriorated after being given government-supplied cough syrup. Two children even died in Sikar and Bharatpur. However, the medical department has formed an investigation committee into the matter.

But questions are being raised that when the Union Health Ministry banned the use of this cough syrup on children in Delhi about four years ago after the death of three children due to the same cough syrup Dextromethorphan, then why was this not done in Rajasthan?

Several questions about the system

Children are usually given cough syrup to stop coughs. However, in Rajasthan, children were given dextramethorphan cough syrup, which not only caused coughing, but in two cases, even respiratory failure. The government has subsequently suspended the supply of the cough syrup, but the entire matter has raised many questions about the system.

Is this syrup safe for children?

The first question that arises is whether this cough syrup is safe for children. This is because in cases where the health of children has deteriorated after using the cough syrup, most of the patients are children, and they are under the age of 6. Two children have died in Sikar and Bharatpur, both of whom were under the age of 6. In the cases of children's health deteriorating in Jaipur and eight children hospitalized in Banswara, the children were reported to be under the age of 5. Therefore, this medicine appears to be questionable from a child health perspective.

Dextromethorphan cough syrup has also claimed the lives of children in Delhi.

Dextromethorphan cough syrup is banned in Delhi. If this drug has already been questioned, why was it prescribed to children? In fact, a similar case occurred in Delhi in 2021. Sixteen children became ill after consuming dextromethorphan cough syrup. Three of these children even died. Following this incident at Delhi's Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital, an investigation was conducted, which determined that the children died due to dextromethorphan cough syrup poisoning. Immediately, the Director General of Health Services of the Union Health Ministry banned the use of the drug for children in Delhi. In a letter dated December 14, 2021, to the Delhi government's Director of Health Services, it was clearly stated that the investigation into the deaths of three children revealed a case of dextromethorphan poisoning. In such a situation, the DGHS of Delhi Government was asked to instruct all the dispensaries and Mohalla clinics under its jurisdiction not to prescribe dextromethorphan cough syrup to children below 4 years of age.

What are the big questions?

Along with this, instructions were also given to recall this medicine manufactured by Omega Pharma in public interest. The question now arises: if this medicine was banned in Delhi for children under the age of four, were the children of Rajasthan any different from those in Delhi? The question arises: why was this banning letter limited to the Delhi government? And also: if this medicine was banned in Delhi for children, shouldn't doctors have taken this into account in their medical practice? This incident has raised questions about the entire system. Now, whoever is at fault... wherever the flaw lies... will these children's lives be restored?

PC:NDTVINDIA