New Delhi: The World Health Organization has warned that India needs to do much more to stop sales of contaminated medicines, even though some progress has been made. This statement comes after at least 24 children died from drinking poisoned cough syrup.
WHO official Rutendo Kuwana told Reuters that while India has taken some steps forward, serious gaps remain in regulating medicines sold within the country. “They have made some strides,” he said, but added that enforcement issues continue to exist.
What Happened
A company called Sresan Pharma manufactured a cough syrup named Coldrif. Tests revealed it contained diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical, at levels nearly 500 times higher than the permitted limit. In some bottles, this poison made up 48.6 percent of the content.
This is the same chemical used to make brake fluid and antifreeze for vehicles. When children consumed it, their kidneys failed and they died. The tragedy unfolded in Madhya Pradesh state, where parents initially thought their kids just had common colds.
History Repeating Itself
This is not the first time such a disaster has struck. Just two years ago, over 300 children worldwide died from contaminated syrups made in India and Indonesia. In The Gambia and Uzbekistan, dozens of children lost their lives after taking Indian-made cough medicines.
Back then, authorities promised to fix the system. New rules were introduced. Companies were warned. Yet here we are again, facing the same tragedy. This pattern shows that fundamental problems in the pharmaceutical industry remain unaddressed.
Rules Exist But Aren’t Followed
By law, Indian drug manufacturers must test both raw materials and finished products in every batch. However, CDSCO (India’s drug regulator) admitted in October that some firms were not doing this basic requirement.
India has introduced new testing rules for exported medicines. They must now be checked for toxic substances like diethylene and ethylene glycol before leaving the country. But medicines sold inside India don’t face the same strict screening.
The WHO developed a simple, affordable test to check for these toxins. Countries like Pakistan sent representatives for training on this method. India didn’t attend these training sessions, though it later confirmed to WHO that it’s using the testing method.
The Accountability Question
Kuwana raised a troubling point about accountability. He called it a “big disappointment” that despite children dying abroad from Indian medicines, no one has been sent to jail in India.
“This is not just selling fake shoes,” Kuwana emphasized. “This is a moral issue but if you don’t follow the rules, it’s criminal, because it has devastating consequences.”
This time, the owner of Sresan Pharmaceutical has been arrested. The factory has been sealed. Two drug inspectors lost their licenses for failing to conduct mandatory inspections. But experts say individual arrests aren’t enough when the entire system needs reform.
Global Concerns
India is the world’s largest exporter of generic medicines. Many countries rely on Indian pharmaceuticals because they’re affordable. But these repeated contamination cases are damaging India’s reputation and raising questions about quality control.
The WHO has issued nine warnings about contaminated cough syrups in the last three years. Five of those warnings involved Indian manufacturers. This frequency is alarming for a country that supplies medicines globally.
Health authorities have recalled the contaminated batches and confirmed none were exported this time. But the question remains: how did they reach pharmacy shelves in the first place?
The crisis highlights a dangerous gap between rules on paper and reality on the ground. Until India bridges this gap with stricter enforcement and genuine accountability, such tragedies may continue.
Also Read | WHO Issues Alert on Dangerous Cough Syrups: Three Indian Medicines Found Substandard, Linked to Child Deaths
