WHO issues alert over four cough syrups linked to 66 deaths

The deaths of 66 children in The Gambia have been linked to four cough syrups believed to have been produced in India. The warning, issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) said, the manufacturers had failed to provide safety guarantees for the drugs.

‘Beyond heartbreaking’

The cough medications have been identified as Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup. Although currently identified in The Gambia which is a popular tourist destination, the UN Health agency has reason to fear they may have been distributed in other countries in and outside the region. According to the alert on its website, the WHO said:

Laboratory analysis of samples of each of the four products confirms that they contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters the four cold and cough syrups in question are potentially linked with acute kidney injuries causing the deaths of these children, the BBC reports.

The loss of these young lives is beyond heartbreaking for their families.

Investigations

The Indian company behind the production of these drugs is yet to comment on the issue, although Indian officials had requested proof of links between the syrups and the 66 deaths. On September 23, health authorities in The Gambia issued an urgent recall of all medicines containing paracetamol or promethazine syrup.

The recall was prompted by preliminary results of an ongoing investigation which cited E.coli bacteria as another possible cause of the acute kidney failure outbreak, according to the Guardian. Abubacarr Jagne, the nephrologist leading the health ministry’s investigation, told AFP Wednesday:

The preliminary results from the ongoing investigation indicate that it is most probably the paracetamol and promethazine syrups that caused the acute kidney injury cases in this outbreak.

Sources used:

BBC: WHO alert over India-made cough syrups after deaths in The Gambia

The Guardian: Warning over cough syrups after 66 children die in the Gambia

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