Rajasthan Govt: Cough Syrup Deaths Due to Overdosing, Not Fault of Free Medicine Scheme
Rajasthan govt attributes cough syrup-linked child deaths to overdosing and comorbidities without medical advice.
The Rajasthan government, responding to questions in the Assembly on Tuesday, attributed the recent child deaths linked to a cough syrup to overdosing and pre-existing health conditions, emphasizing that the medicine was taken without medical guidance. Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar clarified that the syrup was not administered on the prescription of government doctors.
Congress MLAs Harimohan Sharma and Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully had raised concerns over the issue, linking it to alleged lapses in the state’s free medicine scheme and a rise in outpatient visits. Khimsar, however, stated that only “two to four or five deaths” had been reported and that parents administered the syrup themselves, without consulting medical professionals.
The minister added that the syrup contains codeine and other chemicals, and deaths were primarily caused by overdosing combined with comorbidities. He also noted that the same syrup has been in circulation since 2014, including during the previous Congress government, dismissing claims of deteriorated quality.
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Jully questioned the quality of the syrup, noting that the manufacturing company had been blacklisted in several locations, but Khimsar maintained that the deaths were not attributable to the government or its medical personnel. The House then proceeded with its scheduled legislative business.
Separately, the issue of fatalities in man-animal conflicts was also raised. Forest Minister Sanjay Sharma announced that the state plans to double compensation for deaths caused by wild animal attacks, increasing it from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, with rule amendments underway to implement the change.
The government’s dual response seeks to address public safety concerns while defending its medical and administrative protocols, amid growing scrutiny over both healthcare delivery and wildlife-related fatalities in Rajasthan.
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