Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Reviewing the action taken in the Chhindwara cough syrup case, Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, who also holds the health portfolio, directed officers on Sunday to remain in touch with the Tamil Nadu government and ensure strict action against the guilty.
He said that the incident was a serious crime as the state lost priceless children. Along with the employees of the pharmaceutical firm involved in the incident, action should also be taken against those officers who were negligent in the testing of the syrup, he said.
Shukla sternly directed that the factual and procedural lapses be identified, along with the role of the officers concerned, and that the Tamil Nadu government be informed. This is necessary so that the guilty can be nailed down, he said.
He ordered that a comprehensive campaign be carried out in association with the CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation) for an intensive checking of cough syrup manufacturers in Madhya Pradesh.
Rules should be strictly followed to control the misuse of codeine-based drugs, their quality, and the sale of medicines.
It is noteworthy that a joint probe of the state and the CDSCO had found contamination in Coldrif syrup, Relife syrup, and Respifresh TR syrup. In relation to control over codeine-based medicines, Shukla said that it will be mandatory to inform the Drug Inspector of the sale of 1,000 bottles to the wholesaler from C&F Agency and 50 bottles to the retailer per month. Codeine-based medicines can be sold only on a registered doctor’sprescription.
‘No scheduled drugs sans pharmacist’
Deputy CM Rajendra Shukla instructed that the sale of scheduled drugs should be done in the presence of registered pharmacists only. Strict action should be taken on the sale of drugs in the absence of a pharmacist, he said.
All medicine sellers must maintain details in their sales registers about doctors’ names, date of prescription, and details of the patient. He called for better infrastructure of labs and more manpower for quicker testing of drug samples.
