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Indian maker of syrup linked to death of children in Uzbekistan halts production

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(Last Updated On: December 29, 2022)

India’s drug regulator said on Thursday that it had inspected Marion Biotech’s production facility and promised more action based on the probe report after the company’s cough syrup was linked to the death of 19 children in Uzbekistan.

A legal representative of Marion Biotech said the Indian maker of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics regretted the deaths and the company has halted production of the Dok-1 Max syrup, Reuters reported.

The drug regulator reviewed the company’s Noida facility in the Uttar Pradesh state and is in regular touch with its Uzbekistan counterpart, the Indian health ministry said in a statement.

“The samples of the cough syrup have been taken from the manufacturing premises and sent to Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory, Chandigarh for testing,” the ministry said.

Uzbekistan’s health ministry said on Wednesday that at least 18 children in Samarkand city died after consuming the syrup manufactured by the Indian drugmaker.

Another child, a one-year-old, died after being given the syrup for five days, Uzbek news website report.uz said on Thursday, citing the Qashqadaryo regional prosecutor’s office.

Officials in the Samarkand region had initially not reported the deaths to the ministry, the report added, citing Health Minister Bekhzod Musayevand.

Seven employees were dismissed by the Uzbek ministry following a probe into the matter, and “disciplinary measures” were taken against some specialists. The Doc-1 Max tablets and syrups have also been withdrawn from all pharmacies, the Uzbek ministry added in its statement on Wednesday.

The syrup contained a toxic substance, ethylene glycol, and was administered in doses higher than the standard dose for children either by their parents, who mistook it for an anti-cold remedy, or on the advice of pharmacists, the Uzbekistan ministry said.

India’s Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers issued an order on Thursday, laying out specifications to regulate the sale of ethylene glycol from the end of March.

The incident follows another similar one in Gambia, where deaths of at least 70 children had been linked to cough and cold syrups manufactured by New Delhi-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd. The Indian government and also the company, however, have since denied the allegations.

India is known as the ‘pharmacy of the world,’ and has doubled its pharmaceutical exports over the last decade, touching $24.5 billion in the last fiscal year.

Health

Public Health minister meets with head of the UN refugees agency

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(Last Updated On: March 22, 2024)

Dr. Qalandar Ebad, the Minister of Public Health met with Leonard Zulu, the head of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, on Thursday in Kabul to discuss issues facing the health sector in the country.

Among the issues discussed was that of the establishment of new health centers for returnees in the country.

Ebad said the provision of better health services for compatriots and returnees was one of his priorities and requested the cooperation of this organization in this field.

Leonard Zulu assured Ebad of the organization’s continued cooperation.

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Ebad addresses gathering of health sector supporting organizations in Doha

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(Last Updated On: February 29, 2024)

The Minister of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Qalandar Ebad on Thursday attended a meeting of health sector-supporting organizations in Doha, Qatar and spoke about the need to focus on certain areas of healthcare in the country.

In his speech, Ebad spoke of work needed to reform the health system, joint supervision, self-sufficiency of the health sector, standardization of health services at village and district level and provision of all-round health services.

He asked international colleagues in the field of health to work more on reducing administrative costs and delivering aid in a proper and correct manner.

Ebad said that if excessive administrative expenses are prevented, it will have a positive effect on the expenses in the field of health services.

He also emphasized that the release of the country’s frozen assets would be beneficial for the health sector especially for mothers and children.

It is a big and positive step for the independence of Afghanistan’s health system, development and standardization of health services, which should be taken by the international community, he said.

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Polio vaccination campaign underway in Afghanistan

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(Last Updated On: February 26, 2024)

The Ministry of Public Health, in cooperation with international institutions, on Monday launched the second sub-national polio vaccination campaign for 2024.

The campaign runs in different parts of the country from 26 to 29 February 2024, and aims to reach 7.6 million children below the age of five.

“We are committed to eradicating polio in Afghanistan with the cooperation of our partners. We are working day and night and continue supplementary polio vaccination campaigns and health care services in order to reach the goal of completely eradicating polio throughout the country,” Acting Public Health Minister Qalandar Ebad said.

“The support of all Afghans, especially elders and religious scholars, is important in polio eradication activities. It is necessary for them to participate in the fight against polio and keep their children healthy,” he added.

Polio is a viral disease that cannot be cured and can only be prevented and eradicated by vaccination.

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