Case emerges of children being given expired paracetamol syrup in Kerala

A serious incident has emerged in which children were given expired paracetamol syrup at the Puthukode Primary Health Centre in Kerala's Palakkad district. According to a report by The Hindu, the medicine was administered to children who had come for vaccination on 11 November 2026. The medicine had expired in October 2026, and upon learning this, some parents alerted others.

A total of 7 parents have filed official complaints following the incident, although the exact number of children who were given this medicine has not yet been clarified. Following the complaints, the health centre immediately replaced the old medicine. In protest against this negligence, DYFI workers held a demonstration at the health centre and demanded strict action against the responsible employees.

Health department officials have termed the incident as a mistake. According to officials, the expired medicine was inadvertently included in the distribution. Currently, a process to recall all affected bottles has been initiated. Taking the seriousness of the entire matter into account, the District Medical Officer (DMO) has ordered an investigation.