Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 3: The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Friday issued an advisory to all states and Union Territories, cautioning that cough and cold medications should not be prescribed to children below two years of age. The move comes amid reports of child deaths allegedly linked to cough syrups in Madhya Pradesh.

The Union Health Ministry clarified that none of the syrup samples tested in Madhya Pradesh contained Diethylene Glycol (DEG) or Ethylene Glycol (EG) – toxic contaminants known to cause severe kidney damage. However, DGHS stressed that cough syrups are generally not recommended for children under five.

The advisory underlined that most cough illnesses in children are self-limiting and do not require pharmacological treatment. It directed doctors and pharmacists to avoid prescribing or dispensing such medicines to children below two, and for those above, to ensure strict clinical supervision, correct dosage, and minimal duration of use.

Instead, non-drug measures like adequate hydration, rest, and supportive care were advised as first-line treatment. The circular also urged strict procurement of medicines manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practices and sensitisation of prescribers across public and private facilities.

Meanwhile, a multi-disciplinary team comprising NCDC, NIV, ICMR, AIIMS-Nagpur, CDSCO, and state health authorities is probing the reported child deaths in Chhindwara linked to cough syrup use. Currently, 13 children are under treatment in Chhindwara and Nagpur, with three in Nagpur on dialysis.