Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh – October 16, 2025 – Authorities in Gwalior have launched an urgent investigation after a woman reported finding worms in a bottle of Azithromycin oral suspension prescribed to her child at the Morar government hospital. The antibiotic syrup, part of a state-supplied batch manufactured by a Madhya Pradesh-based company, has now been completely sealed by health officials for testing.
The woman noticed unusual particles in the syrup and lodged a formal complaint at the hospital. In response, authorities sealed all 306 bottles of the Azithromycin syrup and sent samples for laboratory testing to Bhopal. A second set of samples will be sent to the Central Drug Laboratory in Kolkata for further analysis. Preliminary inspections showed no visible contamination in some bottles, but thorough testing is ongoing to confirm the safety of the medication.
Azithromycin oral suspension is a commonly prescribed antibiotic for children to treat bacterial infections. No adverse reactions have been reported so far from the affected batch.
This incident follows the tragic deaths of 24 children in Madhya Pradesh earlier in October 2025. The fatalities, primarily in Chhindwara district, were linked to toxic cough syrup manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceuticals, which contained diethylene glycol—a poisonous chemical. The tragedy prompted nationwide concern over the quality control of medicines in government healthcare facilities.
The discovery of worms in Azithromycin syrup has intensified scrutiny of government hospitals’ medicine storage and distribution practices, highlighting potential systemic weaknesses in quality assurance.
Azithromycin Immediate-Release Suspension is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections; it does not work against colds, flu or viral illnesses. Before taking it, patients should inform their healthcare team about any history of blood disorders, irregular heart rhythm, kidney or liver disease, myasthenia gravis, allergy to azithromycin (or other drugs/foods/preservatives), or if they are pregnant or breastfeeding. 1
Drug Inspector Anubhuti Sharma confirmed that the complaint is being taken seriously. All stocks of the affected Azithromycin syrup have been secured at the hospital, and laboratory tests are underway to determine contamination. The Madhya Pradesh health department has pledged to enforce strict action if quality violations are confirmed.
State authorities have also faced criticism for the handling of previous medicine-related incidents. Political leaders have urged stringent monitoring of pharmaceutical suppliers and government hospitals to prevent recurrence.
Health officials are conducting a detailed investigation to identify the contamination source. This includes checking storage conditions, supplier practices, and batch integrity. Laboratory results from Bhopal and Kolkata will determine whether the worms present a health risk and identify the responsible parties.
The hospital continues to cooperate fully with investigators to ensure public safety and transparency.
Authorities have urged parents to carefully inspect medications before administration and report any anomalies immediately. They stressed that the investigation is a precautionary measure to protect children, and no adverse events have been linked to the affected Azithromycin batch so far.
Reference:
Cleveland Clinic. “Azithromycin Immediate-Release Suspension.” My ClevelandClinic Health Library, accessed October 18, 2025. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/drugs/18533-azithromycin-immediate-release-suspension.
(Rh/Eth/ARC/MSM)
