pillidivakar143@gmail.com
Bengaluru: Close on the heels of about two dozen lactating women dying in Raichur and Ballari districts, alleged distribution of substandard drugs to children has been reported at the govt hospital in Nelamangala town on the northwestern fringes of the city.
According to several locals who took their children to the hospital, paracetamol syrup bottles given to their wards had labels on which essential information like the manufacturer’s name, batch number and licence details had been deliberately blacked out. The children who were given the syrup were said to be in the age group of 5-11 years.
Ramesh Raj, a parent (name changed), shared his concern with TOI: “I often bring my child to the hospital for check-ups. On Wednesday evening, I took my son to the hospital and he was given a bottle of paracetamol syrup with black marks obscuring the details. When I asked the hospital staff about it, they refused to give me a clear answer and insisted I administer the syrup to my child. I am deeply concerned that this substandard medication could harm my child.”
Dr Sonia, medical officer, Nelamangala Government Hospital, told TOI: “An order for paracetamol syrup for treating children’s fever was placed earlier. However, the department supplied a range of medications, including this syrup, without proper labelling or information. After I informed the Bengaluru Rural district health officer (DHO), we were told that these drugs had been tested for quality in a laboratory. However, the labels had been deliberately obscured to conceal vital data, yet the syrup continues to be distributed for treatment.”
Health department sources confirmed that paracetamol syrup bottles with blackened labels had been sent to most hospitals across the state.
A senior laboratory scientist of the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation said, “While samples are supposed to undergo detailed testing at laboratories, it is highly unusual and illegal to hide critical information with black markers. Before we receive samples, the information on the packaging is decoded. According to standard procedure, after the testing of any drug, it should be destroyed. Sending these syrup bottles out for use for treatment is a criminal offence if the information on the package is obscured.”
