The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday said the deaths of 66 young children in Gambia from acute kidney injuries may be linked to contaminated cough and cold syrups made by an Indian drug manufacturing company, reported The Reuters.
The findings followed tests on several medicinal syrups that were suspected of causing deaths in young children in the West African country.
Tedros told reporters that the WHO was conducting an investigation with Indian regulators and the New Delhi-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd that made the syrups.
On Wednesday, the WHO also issued a medical product alert asking regulators to remove Maiden Pharma medicines from the market. In its alert, the UN health agency said the products may have been distributed elsewhere through informal markets, but had so far been identified only in Gambia.
The alert covers four products- Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup.
The WHO said lab analysis of the alleged syrups confirmed the presence of unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, which can be toxic and lead to acute kidney injury.
In July, Gambian medical officers raised the alarm after dozens of children began falling ill with kidney problems. It was found that dozens of patients younger than five were falling ill three to five days after taking a locally sold paracetamol syrup. By August, 28 had died, and the total toll increased to 66 so far.
Mustapha Bittaye, Gambia’s director of health services, said similar problems have been detected in other syrups but that the ministry is awaiting confirmation of the results.
He said the number of deaths decreased in recent weeks and that the sale of products made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals was banned. However, he said some of the syrups were still being sold in private clinics and in hospitals.
