In Gambia, 66 children were killed, presumably after ingesting cough medicines from India. Most of them died of acute kidney failure. Police in Gambia launched an investigation on Saturday. India had previously announced an investigation.
Earlier this week, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning for four cough syrups from India after strong suspicions of a link to the dozens of deaths in The Gambia emerged.
Cough syrups – Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup, and Magrip N Cold Syrup – are made by the Indian company Maiden Pharmaceuticals.
Gambian President Adama Barrow has ordered health authorities to suspend “the license of the suspected importer” involved in the case.
Barrow vowed on Friday to strengthen all health measures, including the establishment of better quality control of imported medicines. The Gambia, for example, currently does not have a laboratory where it can test whether medicines are safe, so they are sent abroad for checks. The director of the country’s health service said so BBC.
Health Minister Ahmadou Lamin Samateh is under pressure to step down, among others. “Sixty-six is a huge number. We need justice because the victims were innocent children,” the mother of one of the deceased children told police. BBC.
