18 Die From Cough Syrup In Madhya Pradesh

BHOPAL, Oct 8: What began as a mystery illness among children in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district has now turned into a full-blown public health scandal and also sparked a political slugfest.

The death count from children who were given the Coldrif cough syrup has risen to 18 in Madhya Pradesh, with two more children - three-year-old Vedant Kakudia and two-year-old Jayusha Yaduvanshi from Chhindwara district - dying during treatment in Nagpur, where they were admitted. Nine more children are on life support, their kidneys failing.

Chhindwara ADM Dhirendra Singh confirmed the deaths and said five children from the district are critical.

Tests have also revealed that two more cough syrups - ReLife and Respifresh TR - manufactured in Gujarat, contain dangerously high levels of diethylene glycol, the same chemical that led to deaths in children who consumed Coldrif. Officials said the process of banning both syrups "has been initiated immediately".

As per government standards, cough syrups can contain no more than 0.1% diethylene glycol and four samples failed the test, raising fears of kidney failure and brain damage among those exposed.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced that the state government will bear the full cost of treatment for all affected children from Chhindwara and Betul who are being treated at Nagpur Government Medical College, AIIMS Nagpur, Colors Hospital, New Health City, and Gateway Hospital. "Necessary arrangements have been made to ensure the best possible treatment," Yadav said, adding that teams of magistrates and doctors are stationed in Nagpur to assist families.

Leader of the Opposition Umang Singhar and Congress MLA Sohan Lal Balmiki have, however, accused the government of criminal negligence and corruption.

At a fiery press conference in Delhi on Tuesday, Singhar said, "After the death of the first child, our Parasia MLA Sohan Balmiki wrote letters to everyone from the collector to the chief minister and the health minister. But the government didn't move an inch."

"This is not just negligence, it is corruption and commission. There must be a judicial inquiry. When a poor man's house is demolished over small violations, why not run a bulldozer on the house of the health minister who is responsible for these children's deaths," he asked.

MLA Balmiki echoed the anger, saying, "The government demolishes people's homes for trivial issues, but what will it do when its own negligence kills children? Will it run bulldozers over the house of Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla (who is also the health minister)?"

Singhar alleged the government failed to act within 72 hours, as required by protocol. "They delayed testing, then exhumed the body of a child days later just to cover up the scandal," he claimed.

On Monday, State Congress Chief Jitu Patwari also visited Chhindwara, demanding Rs 1 crore compensation for the affected families and the resignation of the Health Minister.

Chief Minister Yadav said the Congress and Patwari should refrain from making "frivolous remarks". He added that during the Congress regime, the party had committed the "sin" of helping then Union Carbide CEO Warren Anderson, accused of killing 10,000 people in the Bhopal gas tragedy, escape from India.

"In its 41 years of rule, the Congress has never shown sensitivity," the chief minister remarked, adding that officials have now been directed to conduct random inspections to ensure such incidents are not repeated in the state.

Heart Disease Claims 8 Lives Every Minute In South-East Asia: WHO

GENEVA, Sept 28: Heart diseases are the leading cause of deaths in South-East Asia, with the condition claiming the lives of eight people every minute, said the World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday, ahead of World Heart Day.

World Heart Day is observed every year on September 29 to raise awareness about heart diseases and the importance of early detection to save and improve more lives. The theme this year is 'Don't Miss a Beat'.

"Every minute, eight people die due to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in the WHO South-East Asia Region. CVDs are a leading cause of death in the Region, half of them premature, in people below 70 years of age," said Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia.

Major risk factors for CVDs include hypertension, diabetes, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets high in salt and fats, and physical inactivity.

"As many as 85 per cent of people living with hypertension and diabetes in the region do not have their conditions under control," Boehme said.

"Coupled with ageing populations and increasing urbanisation, the vulnerability to CVDs is increasing, putting pressure on health systems that are already resource-constrained," she added.

The expert stated that in the last two years, policy measures and clinical interventions by the countries have shown encouraging progress.

"As of June 2025, public health facilities are providing protocol-based management to over 90 million people with hypertension and diabetes," Boehme said.

She also noted gaps such as the inadequate fiscal and regulatory measures, weak enforcement of policies, and poor monitoring of the marketing, packaging, and advertising bans on unhealthy commodities that hinder progress.

Urging the need for increased public awareness, she called for a whole-of-society approach to address CVDs.

"For individuals, quitting tobacco, reducing salt intake, daily physical activity, and managing stress are important steps for a healthy heart. For governments and policymakers, implementing salt-reduction measures, eliminating industrially produced trans-fats from national food supplies, and enforcing comprehensive tobacco control laws should be among their top priorities," Boehme said.

Chinese Scientists Create 'Bone Glue' That Repairs Fractures In Just 3 Minutes

BEIJING, Sept 14: Chinese researchers claimed to have developed a medical bone glue that can be used to treat fractures and shattered bone fragments in just three minutes. The need for a bone adhesive to repair fractures, as well as to glue orthopaedic devices in place, has long been considered a holy grail, but Chinese scientists appeared to have cracked the code.

The product dubbed "Bone 02" bone glue was unveiled by a research team in East China's Zhejiang Province on Wednesday, according to Global Times. Lin Xianfeng, the leader and associate chief orthopaedic surgeon at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, stated that he found inspiration to develop bone glue after observing oysters clinging firmly to a bridge underwater.

As per Mr Lin, the adhesive can achieve precise fixation within two to three minutes, even in a blood-rich environment. The glue can also be naturally absorbed by the body as the bone heals, eliminating the need for another surgery to remove implants.

Potential to replace metal implants?

Lab tests confirmed that "Bone-02" managed to perform on both safety and effectiveness metrics. In one of the trials, the procedure was completed in less than 180 seconds or three minutes, while conventional treatment methods would have required a large incision to implant steel plates and screws. As per CCTV, the bone glue has been successfully tested in over 150 patients.

The glued bones showed a maximum bonding force of over 400 pounds, a shear strength of about 0.5 MPa, and a compressive strength of around 10 MPa, which highlights that the product may have the potential to replace traditional metal implants. It could also reduce the risks of reaction and infection, the scientists stated.

Currently, there are a number of bone cements and bone void fillers in the market to fix fractures, but none claim to have any adhesive properties. The first bone adhesives were developed in the 1940s and were based on gelatine, epoxy resins, and acrylates. However, they were not appropriate and were discarded because of biocompatability issues.