Toxic Cough Syrup Kills 16 In Pakistan

Islamabad, Nov 28, IRNA -- Sixteen people have died after drinking a toxic cough syrup in eastern city of Lahore over the past three days, media reports said on Tuesday. The first death was reported on Saturday and the toll rose to 16 when six people died in Lahor’s Mayo Hospital on Monday. It is feared that the death toll would go further high as many more in critical condition are still under life threat in hospital. The Punjab Health Department has slapped a ban on the sale of cough syrup Tyno and ordered drug inspectors to confiscate the stock from the manufacturing unit of Ricko Pharmacal in Lahore and medical stores across the province. Hospital officials said that some 19 victims aged 14 to 40 had been admitted to the hospitals after drinking the syrup. “We have observed that most of the victims had a history of addiction,” a medical officer at the Mayo Hospital said. According to him, urgent medical treatment helped doctors save four people who were discharged. At a news conference, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Muhammad Habibur Rehman said the owner of the syrup-manufacturing factory was at large but the police arrested the owner of a medical store and his employees from the area, where the deaths are reported. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif constituted a three-member committee under the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team chairman to probe the incident and sought report within 72 hours. An 11-member committee under Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister on Health Kh Salman Rafiq, also confiscated 217 cartoons of Tyno in 152 raids and sealed four medical stores for selling the toxic cough syrup. Expressing concerns over the loss of lives, the Pakistan Medical Association stressed upon the need for stopping the sale of medicines without prescription. In a statement, the PMA regretted that drugs could be purchased without prescription of a qualified physician. They called upon the administration to take stern action over the issue. It was the second major drug-related ‘tragedy’ in Lahore over the past year. Earlier, reaction to a heart drug had claimed the lives of more than 150 cardiac patients and affected the health of thousands of others. A report on the scam is yet to be made public./end