Bhopal: The devastating loss of 25 children in Chhindwara due to poisonous cough syrup has spurred the Madhya Pradesh government into a massive overhaul of its drug monitoring system.
Deputy Chief Minister Dr. Rajendra Shukla held an emergency meeting, declaring a zero-tolerance policy: “Accountability will now be fixed for every pill and every syrup.” No medicine will reach the market or hospitals without mandatory testing.
Field-Level Quality Control
The state will establish a specialized Enforcement and Legal Cell to ensure rapid action—from drug seizure to license revocation—against defaulters. A key reform is decentralizing testing; local Drug Monitoring Units will be created in every district to test samples on-site and instantly report to state headquarters.
To speed up quality checks, Drug Inspectors will be equipped with handheld testing devices for immediate verification of syrup and tablet quality, allowing for instant detection of chemical discrepancies or adulteration.
Furthermore, state labs in Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, and Jabalpur are being upgraded with advanced testing units (HPLC, GCMSM). Dr. Shukla emphasized that the new protocol will ensure every batch and sample has accountability, ensuring that no child’s life is lost again due to fatal counterfeit medicine.
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