Amid the ongoing investigation into child deaths linked to toxic cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh, a government hospital in Morar, Gwalior, is now under the spotlight. A woman raised concerns after finding worms in a bottle of antibiotic medicine administered to her child.
Authorities Seize and Test Medicine
Following the complaint, authorities sealed the entire stock of Azithromycin oral suspension at the Morar hospital and sent samples for laboratory testing in Bhopal. “A woman at the government hospital in Morar complained of worms in a bottle of Azithromycin oral suspension,” said Drug Inspector Anubhuti Sharma.
Although the bottle brought by the complainant was already opened, officials acted immediately. All 306 bottles of the antibiotic stored and distributed at the hospital have been recalled and seized. Preliminary inspections showed no visible signs of insects in some bottles, but officials emphasized that laboratory testing is essential to confirm contamination. The medicine is a generic Azithromycin oral suspension, commonly prescribed to children for infections, and manufactured by a Madhya Pradesh-based company.
Samples Sent for Comprehensive Testing
Authorities have sent a batch of samples to Bhopal for analysis, with an additional set planned for the Central Drug Laboratory in Kolkata. The complaint comes amid nationwide outrage following the deaths of at least 24 children in Chhindwara district due to suspected renal failure linked to adulterated Coldrif cough syrup. As reported by indiatoday.in, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued alerts against three substandard syrups identified in India: Coldrif, Respifresh TR, and ReLife, underscoring growing concerns over medicine safety and quality control in the country.