Cough syrup kills 70 children in Gambia

Seventy children have died in Gambia from acute kidney injury, thought to be linked to Indian-made cough syrups, Reuters reported.

The syrups were found to be made by New Delhi-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd, which has since had one of its factories shut down in northern India as health authorities there investigate.

Meanwhile, Indonesia on Saturday banned ingredients linked to the deaths of children in Gambia from cough syrups as it investigates the death of more than 20 children in the capital Jakarta this year.

Food and drug regulator BPOM also said it was investigating the possibility that the ingredients, diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, had contaminated other materials that are used as solvents.

The World Health Organization has said it found “unacceptable” levels of the ingredients, which can be toxic, in four Maiden products.

“To provide protection to the public, BPOM has set a requirement at the time of registration that all medicinal syrup products for children and adults are not allowed to use diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG),” the regulator said in a statement.