The World Health Organization on Wednesday issued an alert for four cough syrups made in India, warning they could be linked to the deaths of 66 children in the Gambia.
The global health body’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the syrups are manufactured by Haryana-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited and have been potentially linked with cases of “acute kidney injuries”.
Tedros said that the loss of young lives was “beyond heartbreaking for the families”.
The medicines have been identified as Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup.
"WHO has today issued a medical product alert for four contaminated medicines identified in #Gambia that have been potentially linked with acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children. The loss of these young lives is beyond heartbreaking for their families"-@DrTedros
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) October 5, 2022
“Laboratory analysis of samples of each of the four products confirms that they contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants,” the World Health Organization said. “To date, these four products have been identified in the Gambia, but may have been distributed, through informal markets, to other countries or regions.”
According to the World Health Organization, diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol are toxic to humans when consumed and can prove fatal.
The World Health Organization’s chief said that apart from Gambia, the products may also have been distributed to other countries, according to PTI. The global health body has urged all countries to remove the products from the market to prevent any more harm to patients.
The World Health Organization said that all batches of the products should be considered unsafe till they are analysed by national regulatory authorities.
