DEHRADUN, 4 Oct: Prioritizing child safety and public health, the Uttarakhand government has launched a strict statewide campaign against banned cough syrups and medicines. On the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Health Minister Dhan Singh Rawat, joint teams of the Health Department and the Food Safety & Drug Administration (FDA) have begun intensive raids at medical stores, wholesale distributors, and hospital pharmacies in all districts.
The campaign follows recent incidents in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where the consumption of cough syrups reportedly led to the deaths of children. Treating this as a matter of utmost public health concern, the Uttarakhand government acted swiftly.
Health Secretary and Commissioner, Food Safety & Drug Administration (FDA), R Rajesh Kumar, issued orders to all Chief Medical Officers to immediately implement the Government of India’s advisory across the state. He directed drug inspectors to systematically collect cough syrup samples and have them tested in laboratories to ensure any defective or harmful medicines are immediately removed from the market. He appealed to all doctors in the state not to prescribe banned cough syrups for children. He emphasized that if doctors prescribe them, medical stores will be compelled to sell them, making it essential that doctors themselves act responsibly and refrain from recommending prohibited medicines.
According to the Government of India’s advisory: Children below 2 years should not be given any cough or cold medicine without a doctor’s advice.
Use of such medicines in children below 5 years is not generally recommended.
These medicines should only be used on specialist advice, in the correct dosage, and for the shortest possible duration.
The government has specifically prohibited the use of syrups containing Dextromethorphan and the combination Chlorpheniramine Maleate + Phenylephrine Hydrochloride for children below 4 years of age.
Following this order, the FDA, led by Additional Commissioner and Drug Controller Tajbar Singh Jaggi, has launched large-scale raids across Uttarakhand. Jaggi himself inspected several pharmacies in areas like Jogiwala and Mohkampur in Dehradun. Drug inspectors across all districts have been instructed to collect syrup samples this month from government hospitals, primary health centers, and retail shops for laboratory testing. Jaggi stated that FDA teams are actively working across the state and warned that if any defects are found, strict legal action will be taken against the concerned company or seller.
Chief Minister Dhami stated that there will be no compromise on child safety and public health. He said the government is committed to ensuring that every medicine sold in the state is safe and of standard quality. “Public health is our topmost priority, and no negligence regarding children’s safety will be tolerated,” he said, adding that the government is also working to further strengthen the drug quality monitoring system in the state.
Health Minister Dhan Singh Rawat said the state government is strictly implementing the central advisory and will not tolerate any negligence regarding children’s medicines. All doctors and chemists have been instructed not to prescribe or sell banned syrups. This step, he said, is essential to safeguard children’s safety and public health.
The FDA has started large-scale sampling of cough syrups across the state. Additional Commissioner and Drug Controller appealed to the public not to administer any medicine to children without consulting a doctor. He further advised that in case of any adverse reaction to a medicine, people must immediately contact the nearest health centre or hospital.
