WHO issues warning over cough syrup after child deaths in Gambia

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an alert over the potential link between four cough and cold syrups and the deaths of 66 children in Gambia.

WHO has identified the medicines as Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup, all of which are manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited in India. WHO has stated these are “substandard medical products” which fail to meet either their quality standards or specifications.

Laboratory analysis of samples of each of the four medicines found that they contain unacceptably high amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants, which are toxic to humans when consumed and can prove fatal. The effects of consuming these can include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, altered mental state and acute kidney injury which may lead to death.

Counterfeit medication: a global problem

WHO’s alert follows the warning issued by Gambia’s medical authorities in July over an increase in cases of acute kidney injury among children under five. A number of these children fell ill three to five days after taking a paracetamol syrup sold locally.

The Gambian government has since suspended the use of all paracetamol in syrup form, urging people to consume tablets instead.

To date the contaminated products have only been detected in Gambia, but the WHO has not ruled out that they may have been distributed to other countries. It has recommended these are removed from circulation to prevent further harm to patients.

It is estimated that one in 10 medical products in the supply chain of low- and middle-income countries is substandard or falsified, contributing to a total global value of around US$4.4 bn for counterfeit medication.

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