Kerala health minister orders crackdown on Coldrif cough syrup

Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Monday expressed deep concern over the deaths of 16 children linked to the consumption of cough syrup Coldrif. She said the Union Health Ministry has issued an advisory regarding the syrup, while the Kerala Drugs Control Department has banned its sale across the state. The minister clarified that Coldrif is not part of Kerala’s essential drug supply list and is not distributed by KMCL, adding that strict measures are being taken to prevent its sale in private hospitals and pharmacies.