Uzbekistan says 18 children die after consuming India-made syrup

Uzbekistan's health ministry has said at least 18 children have died after consuming a medicinal syrup manufactured by Indian drugmaker Marion Biotech Pvt Ltd.

The ministry said 18 out of 21 children who took the Doc-1 Max syrup while suffering from an acute respiratory disease died after consuming it. It is marketed on the company's website as a treatment for cold and flu symptoms.

A batch of the syrup contained ethylene glycol, which the ministry said was a toxic substance. The syrup was imported into Uzbekistan by Quramax Medical LLC, the ministry said in its statement released on Tuesday.

It also said the syrup was given to children at home without a doctor's prescription, either by their parents or on the advice of pharmacists, with doses that exceeded the standard dose for children.

Read more: Gambia says child deaths linked to cough syrup have risen to 70

It was not immediately clear whether all or any of the children had consumed the suspect batch or had consumed more than the standard dose, or both.

India had on Tuesday launched an inspection of some drug factories across the country to ensure high-quality standards.

The Uzbek incident follows a similar one in Gambia, where the deaths of at least 70 children were blamed on cough and cold syrups made by New Delhi-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Both India's government and the company have denied the medicines were at fault.

India is known as the "pharmacy of the world" and its pharmaceuticals exports have more than doubled over the past decade to $24.5 billion in the past fiscal year.

The Uzbek health ministry said it had dismissed seven employees for negligence for not analysing the deaths in a timely manner and not taking the necessary measures. It said it had taken disciplinary measures against some "specialists", without specifying what role the specialists had.

It is also withdrawing the Doc-1 Max tablets and syrups from all pharmacies.

Meanwhile, Indian authorities halted production at a pharmaceutical company under investigation for a cough syrup blamed by Uzbekistan health officials.

Health minister Mansukh Madaviya said investigators had spoken to their counterparts in Uzbekistan and were inspecting the company's facility near the capital New Delhi.

He said on Twitter samples of the cough syrup have been taken and sent for forensic analysis.

"Further action as appropriate would be initiated based on the inspection report," he said.

Drug officer Dinesh Tiwari told AFP his colleagues inspected the firm on Thursday and ordered it to halt production.

"The results are expected in a few days," he said, adding that the medicine had not been sold in India.