MFDA: Cough syrup linked to child deaths in India not sold in Maldives

A majority of the deaths have been liked to Coldrif, an oral cough medication. (Photo/Reuters)

The cough syrup linked to the recent deaths of over a dozen children in India is not sold in the Maldives, says the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA).

At least 20 children, all under five years of age, died in the past month in the central state of Madhya Pradesh after allegedly consuming an oral cough medication.

The majority of the deaths have been linked to 'Coldrif', a syrup produced by Tamil Nadu-state based Sresan Pharmaceutical Manufacturer.

Tests by the Indian authorities confirmed the cough medicine contained toxic diethylene glycol in quantities nearly 500 times the permissible limit.

In a statement on Sunday afternoon, the MFDA said that it has received an alert from the South East Asia Region Network (SEARN) regarding a ban on three cough syrups over the presence of the diethylene glycol.

A health official sticks a notice outside the Sresan Pharmaceutical factory whose cough syrup has been linked to 17 children's deaths in India. (Photo/Reuters)

This includes Coldrif produced by Sresan Pharmaceutical, and two other cough syrups that tests found contained the same toxic chemical - Respifresh and RELIFE - made by Gujarat state-based Shape Pharma and Rednex Pharmaceuticals.

The MFDA said that neither of the three pharma companies are licensed to export medicine to the Maldives.

The agency said that it has also verified that no medicine produced by any of the three companies have been imported into the Maldives.

But the MFDA appealed for public awareness regarding the situations, given that Maldivian citizens regularly travel to India and purchase medicine for personal use.

A mother mourns the death of her child linked to Coldrif cough syrup. (Photo/Reuters)

The MFDA said that it is engaged in continuous efforts to ascertain the safety of medicine imported to the Maldives, especially those used by children.

The agency said that it runs laboratory tests to ensure that cough syrups imported into the Maldives do not contain diethylene glycol or ethylene.

Diethylene glycol is an industrial chemical sometimes used as a cheaper substitute for pharmaceutical-grade solvents. It has been associated with several mass poisoning incidents worldwide, including the deaths of children in The Gambia, Uzbekistan, and Indonesia in recent years. Even small quantities can lead to abdominal pain, vomiting, kidney damage and neurological complications.

S Ranganathan, the owner of Sresan Pharmaceutical, was arrested by Indian authorities last week.