18 children died after drinking Indian cough syrup in Uzbekistan, WHO said this
A cough syrup killed 18 children in the Central Asian country of Uzbekistan. The health ministry there has claimed that the cough syrup the children drank was Doc-1 Max syrup of an Indian pharmaceutical company. Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Health has said that investigations have revealed that the syrup that killed 18 children after drinking it was manufactured by Indian pharmaceutical company Marion Biotech Ltd. According to the statement of the ministry, the presence of contaminated ethylene glycol was found in the test done in the lab in the Indian cough syrup.
On this, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “Made in India cough syrup sounds deadly.” Earlier 70 children died in Gambia and now 18 children have died in Uzbekistan. Modi government should stop boasting about India and take strict action.
On the syrup deaths in Uzbekistan, Marion Biotech Pharma company’s legal head Hasan Raza said, “We regret the deaths, the government is conducting an investigation. We will take action according to the report. Samples were collected. The manufacturing of that product has been stopped for the time being and other processes are underway.
Marion Biotech has made the syrup
Media reports about the deaths in Uzbekistan suggest that Dak1-Max cough syrup was taken without a prescription and in overdose by the affected children. Uzbekistan’s health ministry said on Wednesday that 21 children who were suffering from acute respiratory illness had consumed Dok-1 Max syrup manufactured by Noida’s Marion Biotech, possibly leading to the death of 18 of them.
WHO in contact with officials
According to an Indian newspaper, “The World Health Organization (WHO) is in contact with health authorities in Uzbekistan. Ready to assist with further investigation following reports of child deaths.” However, Marion Biotech, the manufacturing company of Doctor-1 Max, and the Union Health Ministry have not yet said anything on the matter. Earlier this year, 70 children were reported dead in The Gambia.
