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| Sukesh hits out at double standards in dealing with infant deaths | | |  Early Times Report
JAMMU, May 15: Senior social activist Sukesh C. Khajuria in a letter written to the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has questioned the double standards in dealing with the deaths of infants in foreign countries vis-a-vis those who died in India due to alleged spurious drugs manufactured in India.
He informed the Drug authorities that he had taken up with the National Human Rights Commission the issue of deaths/ deformities of infants in Northern India following consumption of unchecked spurious and adulterated drugs in the case no.80/09/14/2020 in NHRC seeking compensation for the families of the victims of Ramnagar tehsil of distt. Udhampur of J&K, which the Commission graciously granted and subsequently upheld by the High court of Jammu and Kashmir [case wp(c) No 388 of 2021] & Supreme Court of India [SLP(c) No 8345/2021 ] despite objections by the J and K Government where majority of the deaths took place in 2019-20.
A total of 16 deaths took place in North India, 13 in Ramnagar tehsil of Distt.Udhampur and one in Bishnah tehsil, distt. Of Jammu in UT of J&K, one child died at Baddi in Himachal Pradesh and another died at Patiala in Punjab. Eight children who consumed unchecked spurious and adulterated drugs were disabled, six of them in Udhampur district with disabilities ranging from 40 per cent to 85 per cent while another child at panchakula in harayana suffered 100 per cent disability. Another child at Patiala has been found with disabilities.
Twelve infants/children had lost their lives in Ramnagar area/tehsil Udhampur district of J&K after consuming "Coldbest-PC syrup" manufactured by M/S Digital Vision, 176 Mauza Ogli, Nahan Road, Kala-Amb, Distt. Sirmaur, HP 173205, marketed by M/s Orison pharmaceuticals 51, Industrial Estate, Ambala Cantt. On a complaint by J&K administration, the Himachal Pradesh Police had registered a case of attempt to commit culpable homicide and under the provisions of The Drugs and Cosmetics Act against M/S Digital Vision, A Pharmaceutical Firm at Kala Amb in Sirmaur District which manufactured the "Coldbest-Pc Syrup".
A two year old child, Radhika d/o Monu (M- 78076-53688), permanent resident of Kanhari, Hardoi-Uttar Pradesh-241123 ( Aadhar card Number 5349 2196 0929), and presently residing near Sabzi Mandi, Baddi H.P. was admitted in advanced Paediatrics Centre, PGIMER, Chandigarh on 22nd July with renal failure vide CR No:202002621258. The child was administered a number of drugs on the prescription of Dr. Diwanchand S/o Sita Ram, Ward no. 2, Baddi, Solan, HP 173205. The PGIMER gotit analysed in Paediatric Biochemistry Lab for the presence of diethlyene glycol (DEG) qualitatively using GCMS and confirmed by searching on NIST library.
Another infant, Anmol Sharma, age 02 years, S/O Pradeep Kumar, Labour and resident of Shambu,district Patiala died at Govt. Medical college Hospital Sector-32 Chandigarh. Another child, Sarabjeet Singh a five year old son of Avtar Singh, a car mechanic of Shambu, district Patiala is struggling between life and death due to consumption of spurious/poisonous syrup manufactured by Digital Vision in Patiala district of Punjab.
The Cold Best -PC syrup which was given to the children contained Diethylene glycol (DEG) and spurious drug which is a banned drug. The drug is banned in some states and the United States Food and Drug administration had warned in 2011 against the use of the drug to children below five years of age.
Sukesh. C. Khajuria said that the Government Analyst, Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory (RDTL) Chandigarh has furnished his report of Test and Analysis conducted on the suspected drug i.e. Cold Best-PC Syrup on Form-13 vide no. LSD/RDTL/1758/19- 20, DT: 02-03-2020 with the following remarks: "In the opinion of the undersigned the sample referred to above is not of standard quality as defined in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and Rules there under for the reason given below: The sample does not conforms to claim as per Patent Proprietary in respect to the pH and the Assay of Phenylephrine Hydrochloride" Further, the sample has been tested for Diethylene Glycol (DEG) and found positive for the same and content of Diethylene Glycol (DEG) is 34.24%
Interestingly, the medical practitioner against whom cases have been registered by Patiala police has contended that he had only prescribed the medicine which was manufactured by M/s Digital Vision pharmaceutical company, 176 Mauza Ogli, Nahan, Kala Amb, District Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh, against whom number of cases have been registered and has already been prosecuted at different places for preparing spurious drug. Different states have already banned the sale of "Cold Best- PC syrup".
According to extended Licencing Laboratory and legal Node, a database that tracks instances of substandard medicines, there have been seven cases from 2014 to 2019 when drugs manufactured by Digital Vision were found to be 'not of standard quality'.
He further said that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has already taken cognizance of my complaint regarding the deaths of infants due to consumption of spurious drugs in Ramnagar area of Udhampur district in December-January 2019-2020 and reprimanded the Jand K drug authorities. The NHRC has issued a show cause notice to the J and K government seeking action taken report against "the delinquent officials, on account of whose negligence such incident had occurred, which could otherwise be averted due to their strict vigil". |
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