An Uzbekistan court has issued prison sentences to 23 individuals in connection with the deaths of 68 children linked to tainted cough syrup.
The defendants were convicted of various charges including tax evasion, selling substandard or counterfeit medicines, abusing office, negligence, forgery, and bribery.
The sentences range from two to 20 years.
The reported death toll announced during the trial at Tashkent City Court was higher than previously disclosed, with 65 deaths initially recorded and three more added last month.
The contaminated syrups, manufactured by Marion Biotech in India and distributed by Quramax Medical in Uzbekistan, led to the convictions.
Singh Raghvendra Pratar, an executive director at Quramax Medical, received the longest sentence of 20 years. Former senior officials responsible for licensing imported medicine also received lengthy sentences.
The World Health Organization (WHO) had previously labeled two of Marion Biotech’s cough syrups, Ambronol and Dok-1 Max, as “substandard” after 18 Uzbekistani children died from consuming them.
Marion Biotech disputed the allegations, leading to production suspension by India’s health ministry and permanent cancellation of its manufacturing licenses in March.
The court ordered compensation of $80,000 (£63,000) for each family of the 68 deceased children, as well as for four children who suffered disabilities due to consuming the cough syrup.
Source-BBC
