Rajasthan health officials are cracking down on misuse of cough syrup after complaints surfaced about poor quality meds in the state’s free medicine program. They’ve started suspension proceedings against a doctor and pharmacist at Hathideh Primary Health Center in Sikar district. The pair prescribed a banned cough syrup to a child, breaking clear guidelines.
But in two recent child deaths—one in Bharatpur and one in Sikar—doctors didn’t prescribe the controversial dextromethorphan syrup. Officials stress that these tragic cases didn’t stem from any doctor-ordered doses of the syrup.
The issue gained attention after reports linked child deaths in Rajasthan to cough syrup consumption. Medical and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar quickly ordered an investigation. The Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited (RMSCL) stepped in, banning the syrup’s use and distribution right away. They also formed a three-member committee to dig deeper and sent drug samples to the State Drug Testing Laboratory for checks.
Take the Bharatpur case first. A 30-year-old man named Monu Joshi from Kalsada went to the local community health center on September 25 complaining of cough, cold, and fever. The doctor gave him dextromethorphan hydrobromide syrup, plus other meds. Joshi later shared the syrup with his three-year-old son, Gagan, who had a cold and pneumonia, without asking a doctor first. Gagan’s condition got worse, so they rushed him to a specialist in Mahua, who sent them to JK Lon Hospital in Jaipur. Admitted at 2 p.m. that day, Gagan improved and went home on September 27.
Another story from October 1 involved three siblings and cough syrup, with one child dying. Officials set the record straight: A 50-year-old woman named Nahni visited a sub-center in Malah on September 18 for a check-up and got paracetamol (PCM) medicine. Her child, Samrat, already battled pneumonia and had been transferred from Bharatpur to Jaipur for treatment. Sadly, Samrat passed away on September 22—not from any syrup.
In Sikar, three-year-old Nityansh, son of Mahesh Kumar Sharma from Khori village, saw a doctor at Chirana CHC in Jhunjhunu on July 7 for fever and cold. No dextromethorphan syrup appeared on that prescription. Fast-forward to September 28: Around 9 p.m., Nityansh developed a light cough. His mother, Khushboo Sharma, gave him 5 ml of dextromethorphan syrup she had at home. He seemed okay after drinking water and going to bed at 2 a.m. on September 29. But by 5 a.m., she found him unresponsive. They hurried him to Government Shri Kalyan Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
Public Health Director Dr. Ravi Prakash Sharma made it clear: In both the Bharatpur and Sikar child deaths, no doctor prescribed dextromethorphan syrup. He added that guidelines don’t recommend it for kids, and families should never give prescription meds without professional advice.
Meanwhile, the suspension push against Dr. Palak and pharmacist Pappu Soni at Hathideh PHC came after they prescribed the banned syrup against the rules. The department fired off an advisory to all doctors: Stick to protocols, handle prescription drugs carefully, and warn patients against self-medicating. This move aims to prevent future risks with cough syrup in Rajasthan and ensure safer healthcare for families.
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