October 06, 2022

Cough Syrup Possibly Linked to the Deaths of 66 Children

The World Health Organisation (WHO) are concerned that the deaths of 66 children in the Gambia may be connected to four brands of cough and cold syrups made in India.

WHO released a global alert on Wednesday, 5 October, warning that products manufactured by an Indian company, Maiden Pharmaceuticals, have been “potentially linked with acute kidney injuries” due to failed quality standards.

The four products – named Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup, and Magrip N Cold Syrup – have been identified in the Gambia. As a precautionary measure, the local government suspended the use of all paracetamol syrups.

Medical officials in the small West African country first began an investigation into the matter in July, when they first noticed several cases of acute kidney injury in children under the age of five.

However, WHO officials are concerned that the medications “may have been distributed, through informal markets, to other countries or regions,” according to the warning issued on their official website.

The UN health agency and Indian regulators are currently conducting an investigation into the matter. Requests by the media for comments from the pharmaceutical company have so far gone unanswered.

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