Nagpur: The Health Department of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has issued a circular to all government and private hospitals in the city, directing them to strictly follow the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, regarding the rational use of cough syrups in children.
The directive comes after reports of child deaths linked to contaminated cough syrups surfaced in some parts of the country. In response, the central government released updated guidelines to ensure the safe and appropriate use of these medications among children.
According to NMC’s data, 12 pediatric patients between the ages of 0 and 16 are currently under treatment in various hospitals across Nagpur. Of these, 10 are from Madhya Pradesh, one from Maharashtra, and one from Telangana. Among them, 6 patients are being treated at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), 2 at AIIMS Nagpur, and one each at New Health City Hospital, Lata Mangeshkar Hospital, Kalash Hospital, and Get Well Hospital.
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6 Oct 2025
As per the Ministry’s guidelines, most cough-related illnesses in children resolve on their own without medication. The advisory emphasizes that adequate rest, increased fluid intake, and non-medicinal remedies are usually sufficient as first-line treatments. The government has advised that:
- Cough and cold medicines should not be given to children below 2 years of age.
- For children above 5 years, medicines should be used only when necessary, under medical supervision and with carefully monitored dosage.
- The use of multi-drug combinations should be strictly avoided.
The Health Ministry has also urged the public, through local health authorities, to use medications only under a doctor’s advice and to avoid self-medication, especially for infants and young children.
The NMC Health Department has instructed all hospitals in Nagpur to ensure strict compliance with these guidelines and to raise public awareness about the safe use of cough syrups in children.
