The WHO said it would assess the need for the Global Medical Products Alert on Coldrif syrup once official confirmation was received from Indian authorities.
At least 20 kids have died in Madhya Pradesh due to kidney infections caused by the consumption of a "contaminated" Coldrif cough syrup, state Health Rajendra Shukla said.
The minister said that a police team from the Chhindwara district has gone to Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu to arrest the owner of the company that manufactures Coldrif cough syrup.
"A total of 20 children -- 17 from Chhindwara, two from Betul, and one from Pandhurna -- have died," said Shukla.
On October 6, the state government suspended two drug inspectors and a deputy director of the Food and Drug Administration, and also transferred the state's drug controller.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the deaths and registered a case against the Tamil Nadu-based manufacturer of the Coldrif cough syrup.
