India, Oct. 6 -- New Delhi

Union health secretary on Sunday directed states to enhance surveillance of all pharmaceutical manufacturing units functioning within their jurisdiction for compliance of good manufacturing practices and take strict action against the defaulters.

The health secretary, Punya Salila Srivastava, chaired a high-level meeting with states and Union territories on quality and rational use of cough syrups following 12 deaths reported recently of children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan allegedly linked to consuming contaminated cough syrups.

"In view of recent concerns relating to the quality and administration of cough syrups, the Union ministry of health and family welfare convened a high-level meeting under the ch...