India investigates cough syrup linked to child deaths in Gambia

Indian authorities are investigating cough syrups made by a local pharmaceutical company after the World Health Organization said they may be responsible for the deaths of 66 children in Gambia.

The United Nations health agency issued a warning this week that four cough and cold products made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals in the northern state of Haryana could cause acute kidney damage.

Laboratory tests have found unacceptable levels of potentially life-threatening contaminants, the WHO said, adding that products may have been spread outside the West African country.

of India Ministry of Health said on Thursday evening that it had been informed of the WHO’s findings last month and was awaiting the results of its own laboratory tests of the four drugs.

He added that the company did not have a license to distribute the four products in India and only manufactured and exported them to Gambia.

“It is common practice that the importing country checks these imported products for quality parameters and makes sure of the quality of the products,” the ministry said in a statement.

Maiden Pharmaceuticals did not respond to AFP requests for comment following the WHO health alert.

The company has attracted the attention of Indian regulators several times.

The Food and Drug Administration has issued notices to the firm four times this year for “substandard” product manufacturing based on batch tests, according to the agency’s website.

© 2022 AFP