The directorate general of health services (DGHS) on October 3 issued an advisory to rationalise the usage of cough syrup in paediatric population.

The health services agency said cough and cold medications should not be prescribed to children under the age of 2 years.

“These are generally not recommended for ages below 5 years and above that, any use should follow careful clinical evaluation with close supervision and strict adherence to appropriate dosing, the shortest effective duration and avoiding multiple drugs combinations,” the advisory said.

Moreover, DGHS said the people should be sensitised to adhering to what the doctors have prescribed.

The recommendations come after nine children died from consuming allegedly spurious cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district.

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