In a story of extraordinary resilience and medical triumph, a five-year-old boy from Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district has returned home after a gruelling 114-day battle for his life. The child is the youngest survivor of a tragic incident involving a contaminated batch of Coldrif cough syrup, which claimed the lives of 24 other children.
A Harrowing Journey from Coma to Recovery
The boy's ordeal began when he was rushed to Nagpur suffering from acute renal failure, a condition doctors linked to suspected cough syrup toxicity. He subsequently slipped into a deep coma, where he remained for nearly three months. His parents, who had watched him fall critically ill, maintained an unwavering vigil by his bedside at AIIMS Nagpur, never losing hope.
The family's sacrifices were immense. The boy's father lost his job after staying away for months to be with his son, while his mother endured a painful separation from their elder daughter. Their financial resources were completely exhausted, with over Rs 6 lakh spent in private hospitals before they shifted to government-run facilities for continued treatment.
Medical Battle Against All Odds
The child was admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at AIIMS Nagpur on September 11 in an extremely critical condition. He was in a deep coma, suffering from acute kidney failure, severe hypotension, multi-organ dysfunction, and had almost absent brainstem reflexes. Doctors acted swiftly, placing him on mechanical ventilation and initiating emergency dialysis within hours.
His case was managed under Dr. Meenakshi Girish of the paediatrics department, with intensive critical care led by Dr. Abhijeet Chaudhary, the PICU in-charge. A multidisciplinary team involving paediatric intensivists, neurologists, nephrologists, and rehabilitation specialists worked tirelessly on his prolonged treatment. The industrial-grade chemical diethylene glycol, found in the contaminated syrup, had caused severe kidney and brain damage.
A Miracle Unfolds and a Family Rejoices
Against a poor prognosis, the intensive care yielded miraculous results. After 114 days, the boy began speaking again and regained movement, to the immense joy of his parents. Doctors describe his survival and discharge as extraordinary, noting that no other child in his age group has recovered from such a severe toxic exposure. While celebrating, the family remains conscious of the 24 other families who lost their children to the same tragedy.
For now, the hardships are set aside as the family thanks God for their son's second chance. AIIMS Nagpur waived the treatment costs, providing crucial relief. However, another affected child, a 3.5-year-old from Betul district, continues to remain critical, a sobering reminder of the incident's devastating impact.
