Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 4: Eminent social activist and Ex.Member of Prominent Citizen Advisory Committee constituted by J&K Govt. Sukesh C. Khajuria has sought a probe by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) into the alleged deaths often children due to spurious medicines in Ramnagar, Udhampur.
In a petition addressed to H.L. Dattu, Chairperson of the NHRC, a copy of which is also sent to the NCPCR, Khajuria has sought intervention into the deaths of a dozen infants/children following consumption of a spurious cough syrup in December 2019 and January 2020.
He said that a high level expert team of Union Health and family welfare Ministry had confirmed the deaths due to spurious cough syrup manufactured by a firm at Kala Amb in Himachal Pradesh. In a report dated march 02, 2020 the Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory (RDTL) said the samples of the cold best-PC syrup were “not of standard quality “as defined in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The sample was tested for the presence of “Diethylene Glycol” (DEG) and the laboratory found it positive for the same and co “If the Delhi Government could give Rs 1 Crore compensation and a government job to the kin of Ankit Sharma, an Intelligence Bureau staffer who was killed in recent Delhi riots, what stops the authorities to give compensation to the families of infant victims”, said Sukesh Khajuria.
The State Drug Authority of Haryana and J&K (UT) have also filed FIR against the company & others. An FIR was filed on March 03, 2020 after the Government laboratory confirmed that the drug was adulterated with DEG” said N.K Ahooja, State Drug Controller, Haryana.
Sukesh Khajuria contended that most of the children who died belonged to poor, scheduled caste families and their parents have little comprehension of what has happened. Many do not even have copies of the Prescriptions any longer, as probing officials have taken these away.
He pointed out that a dozen infant innocent lives were snatched by the corrupt system which work particularly in the remote areas of the country. “These spurious drug suppliers sell their products in connivance with local medical practitioners and chemists. But, I want to raise another pertinent question that what is the fault of the common victims particularly the devastated family members of the deceased. It has been the complete failure of the governments, both central as well as State Government/ Union Territory that such a nexus is running with impunity,” he added.
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