The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday issued notices to the governments of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, directing them to investigate allegations of children’s deaths linked to contaminated cough syrup.
The commission also instructed the Union Health Ministry, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), and the Directorate General of Health Services to investigate the supply of spurious drugs.
Regional laboratories in the affected states have been asked to collect samples of suspected medicines and submit test reports.
Chief Drugs Controllers have been ordered to immediately ban the sale of such drugs and provide compliance reports to the NHRC within two weeks.
Backdrop: cough syrup controversy
The NHRC has taken note of a complaint regarding the deaths of 12 children in Madhya Pradesh and parts of Rajasthan, reportedly after consuming cough syrup.
Although preliminary tests by the Union Health Ministry did not find diethylene glycol or ethylene glycol, chemicals known to cause kidney damage, the exact cause of these deaths remains uncertain, with many cases involving kidney failure and related complications.
Human rights implications
The commission emphasised that these deaths reflect serious lapses in drug safety, regulation, and monitoring, constituting a violation of children’s fundamental rights, including the right to life, health, and access to safe medicines.
The NHRC Bench, presided over by member Priyank Kanoongo, has mandated urgent action and detailed reporting from all concerned authorities.
 on Monday issued notices to the governments of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.){kind=link}