Five-year-old Kunal Yaduwanshi from Parasia in Madhya Pradesh has returned home after an extraordinary 114-day hospital battle. He was rushed to Nagpur in critical condition with renal failure and a deep coma caused by suspected toxicity from contaminated cough syrup. This incident formed part of a wider tragedy linked to a batch of Coldrif cough syrup that claimed the lives of 24 children under five.
Early Struggle and Critical Condition
When Kunal arrived at AIIMS Nagpur’s Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, he was in extremely poor health. Doctors found acute kidney failure, multi-organ dysfunction, and almost no brainstem reflexes. They immediately began emergency measures, including mechanical ventilation and dialysis.
Intensive Treatment and Slow Progress
Over the next several weeks, a multidisciplinary medical team worked tirelessly to save him. They included paediatricians, neurologists, nephrologists, ophthalmologists, and rehabilitation specialists. Despite the severe prognosis, doctors did not give up. Gradually, Kunal regained neurological function, body movement and speech, and was eventually weaned off ventilatory support.
As per Times of India, his recovery has been described as extraordinary given his age and the severity of the poisoning.
Family Sacrifices and Emotional Return
Throughout the ordeal, Kunal’s parents stood by his side day and night. His father lost his job after months away from home, and the family spent all their savings—over Rs 6 lakh—on treatment before moving to government care.
However, AIIMS Nagpur later waived all treatment costs, showing institutional support during their worst moment.
Current Health and Outlook
Doctors noted that Kunal suffered severe optic nerve damage, leading initially to blindness, though he has shown partial visual recovery. Now stable enough to leave the hospital, he is continuing rehabilitation at home. Sadly, not all affected children have recovered; another young boy remains in critical condition.