Orders issued to halt drug manufacturing at Maiden Pharma's Sonipat unit: Haryana minister Anil Vij

The Haryana government has given orders to halt drug manufacturing at the Maiden Pharmaceuticals Sonipat unit, and the action was taken due to various violations at the pharma unit, state Health Minister Anil Vij said on Wednesday.

”We have ordered that all drug production of this unit be stopped with immediate effect,” Vij told PTI over phone.

Samples of four cough syrups manufactured by the firm had been sent to the Central Drugs Laboratory in Kolkata for examination soon after the WHO potentially linked them to the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia.

Vij said that after the incident, a joint team of the state and the Centre inspected the unit and found 12 violations or deficiencies.

”Taking cognisance of this, the state government has ordered to halt the drug production in this unit,” Vij said.

He further said the report of the samples of four cough syrups which had been recently sent to the Central Drugs Laboratory in Kolkata for examination was awaited.

”When that report comes, depending on what it says, we will take further action,” he said.