6-year-old given cough syrup dies; no toxicity: Doctors

NAGPUR: Six days after a six-year-old boy died in a tribal hamlet in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district, doctors at the government-run medical college and hospital on Monday categorically ruled out drug toxicity.

The boy, Shivam Sagar Gurunule from Pimplekhuti village in Kalamb tehsil, 150 km off Nagpur, was administered four cough syrups, apart from other medicines.Amid the massive outrage over the cough syrup linked deaths in MP, the state FDA seized samples of all seven prescribed medicines and sent them for analysis to its Mumbai laboratory, following a request by the dean of Vasantrao Naik GMCH in Yavatmal, Dr Anil Batra. FDA also halted sale and use of all seven medicines of the same batch across Maharashtra till the analysis was complete. However, the boy's autopsy report stated that food particles and peanut husks were found in his respiratory tract and the boy is likely to have choked to death.Shivam's family, too, has not accused the doctor of negligence or blamed the cough syrup for his death. "He hadn't walked for five years after birth. What caused his death will only be known after a thorough probe," a family member told TOI. Civil surgeon, medical education & research department, health department & district health officer are keeping an eye on the situation.