WHO warns against 4 cough syrups linked to deaths of 66 children in Gambia
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a product alert warning against four brands of cough syrups from India.
The four: Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup, and Magrip N Cold Syrup, are said to be manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited.
According to WHO, the indicated manufacturer has not offered warranties on the safety and quality of the products.
“Laboratory analysis of samples of each of the four products confirm that they contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants. To date, these four products have been identified in The Gambia, but may have been distributed, through informal markets, to other countries or regions,” WHO said in a statement.
On Thursday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the four contaminated medicines identified in the Gambia have been potentially linked with acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children and added that investigations were ongoing with the company and regulatory authorities in India.
“All batches of these products should be considered unsafe until they can be analyzed by the relevant National Regulatory Authorities,’ WHO said in a statement.
WHO further says that the products have Toxic effects which can include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, headache, altered mental state and acute kidney injury which may lead to death.
According to WHO, the products can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, inability to pass urine, headache, changed mental state, and severe kidney injury, which can lead to death.