Authorities in India have suspended the production of four cough syrup brands that were reportedly linked to the death of 66 children in Gambia.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Health in Haryana state, India, Anil Vij after an inspection was carried out at one of the facilities owned by the company located in Sonipat district.
This inspection was carried out on the 1st and 3rd of October, 2023.
The Minister revealed that twelve wrong manufacturing practices were carried out in the facility leading to an order for suspension of production.
“A joint inspection by the state Food and Drugs Administration and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) found 12 violations of good manufacturing practices in the Sonipat facility,” the minister said.
Not long ago, Gambian authorities and the World Health Organisation had raised the alarm over the likely presence of toxic substances in these drugs; after scores of children were found dying of acute kidney injury days after the consumption of these syrups.
The UN health agency and the health authorities identified the drugs as Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff baby syrup, and Magrip N Cold syrup.
Analysis from the laboratory showed that the four drugs contain unacceptable amount of “Ethylene Glycol and Ethylene Glycol” which when consumed could cause harm to the kidney.
See also: WHO Raises Alert On ‘Contaminated’ Cough Syrups As 66 Children Die
Other countries in West Africa had also warned against the purchase and use of the drugs.
Meanwhile, National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria had last week, warned importers, distributors, retailers, and consumers to avoid the importation, distribution, sale, and use of substandard cough syrups made in India.
In the course of the inspection, authorities also found that batch numbers, expiry and manufacturing dates, as well as the name of the manufacturer, were missing from the invoices of propylene glycol, an ingredient used in cough syrups.
Drug authorities stated that Maiden Pharma has not performed the quality testing of propylene glycol for diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol.
Speaking with the press, Vij said, “Samples of the drugs mentioned by the WHO of Sonipat’s pharmaceuticals company were sent to the Central Drug Lab in Kolkata. The reports are not in yet. Action will be taken after that.”
Source: Prime Business Africa
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