Nigeria cautions citizens against Indian cough syrups linked to deaths of 66 children

Nigeria has cautioned its citizens against the use of four Indian cough syrups linked to the deaths of children in The Gambia.

The warning comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) claimed that the cough syrups from India were potentially linked to the deaths of 66 children and acute kidney injuries in The Gambia.

Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (Nafdac) has urged citizens and residents in Nigeria to avoid the syrups.

In a statement, Nafdac says anyone who has used the “substandard products” or has suffered any adverse reaction, should seek immediate medical advice and report to the health authorities.

The statement added that effects of the toxic substances allegedly contained in the cough syrups include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, headache and acute kidney injury which may lead to death.

As African Entertainment earlier reported, the World Health Organization had issued a health alert, saying four cough syrups made in India were potentially linked to acute kidney injuries and deaths of some 66 children in The Gambia.

WHO issued the alert in a tweet sighted by www.africanentertainment.com on its official Twitter handle.

According to the Director General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “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”.

WHO identified the medicines as Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup.

According to the WHO, the medicines contain dangerous substances that can cause kidney damage, and should be withdrawn immediately.

Investigation

Meanwhile, the Indian Health Ministry has indicated that it has began a probe into manufacture of the said syrups potentially linked to the deaths of the children and the acute kidney injuries.

The Health Ministry disclosed that it has asked the World Health Organization to share its evidence of the link between the syrups and the deaths of the children.

Also, manufacturer of the medicines, Maiden Pharmaceuticals, according to local Indian media reports monitored by www.africanentertainment.com, has stated that it is trying to find out from its buyer in The Gambia details about what happened.