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

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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 The Doc-1 Max tablets and syrups have also been withdrawn from all pharmacies, the Uzbek ministry added in its statement on Wednesday.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.

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Japanese charity Peshawar-Kai to resume leprosy treatment in Afghanistan

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Peshawar-Kai, a Japanese aid organization, has announced that it will resume leprosy treatment in Afghanistan after around 15 years.

The charity will treat leprosy patients in memory of its former head Tetsu Nakamura, Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported.

The NGO will begin its leprosy treatment program in Afghanistan this year.

It will treat patients in areas such as Nangarhar province by providing medicines, training staff and sending mobile treatment teams.

Leprosy, also known as Hansen disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused mainly by a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. The disease affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes.

Nakamura started treated leprosy patients in Pakistan in the 1980s and then began extensive activities, including the construction of water supply canals in Afghanistan.

The Japanese aid worker was killed in an armed attack in Jalalabad in December 2019.

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WHO confirms second Polio case in Afghanistan

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s Public Health Ministry has not yet commented.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed the second case of polio in Afghanistan for the year 2025.

The case was identified in March in Helmand province.

This follows the first reported case in the Bala Murghab district of Badghis province, where a five-year-old girl was diagnosed with the virus.

Additionally, 18 environmental samples testing positive for the polio virus have been reported in provinces including Kandahar, Helmand, Kabul, Laghman, Nangarhar, and Zabul.

Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only countries where polio has not been eradicated.

Polio is a viral disease for which there is no cure, and vaccination is the only way to protect children from it.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s Public Health Ministry has not yet commented.

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Afghanistan strengthens healthcare system through collaborations with UNDP and UNFPA

Among those who Jalali met with were Stephen Rodriques, UNDP representative to Afghanistan, and Koffi Kwabena Asante, the UNFPA representative to Afghanistan.

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Minister of Health Jalali

In a series of high-level meetings Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali, Minister of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), has engaged with key international partners in a bid to bolster Afghanistan’s healthcare infrastructure.

Among those who Jalali met with were Stephen Rodriques, United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) representative to Afghanistan, and Koffi Kwabena Asante, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) representative to Afghanistan.

Discussions between them highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts to address the country’s most pressing health challenges and ensure long-term, sustainable improvements.

The first meeting with Rodriques focused on the deployment of solar energy solutions to power healthcare centers across Afghanistan, particularly in remote and underserved areas.

Both parties explored the criteria for selecting appropriate sites for these solar-powered initiatives, underscoring the critical role of renewable energy in enhancing healthcare access.

The dialogue also covered integrated approaches to combat endemic diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.

Jalali emphasized the importance of effective disease control, which, he noted, requires precise coordination and operational transparency to ensure impactful service delivery.

In response, Rodriques reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to maintaining transparency and accountability in its interventions, pledging continued support for strengthening Afghanistan’s healthcare system.

The second round of discussions with UNFPA representatives Koffi Kwabena Asante and Andrew Saberton revolved around revitalizing the Afghan health sector, securing sustained financial support, and optimizing aid management.

Jalali stressed the need for a strategic overhaul of resource allocation to optimize international assistance and align efforts with national health priorities.

The discussions also delved into transitioning mobile health teams into permanent centers to expand healthcare access, as well as enhancing service delivery in line with the ministry’s health policy.

Jalali reiterated the importance of transparency in resource management to ensure the efficacy and sustainability of healthcare services.

Saberton commended the Afghan government’s commitment to these principles and assured that UNFPA would continue to provide vital resources to improve health outcomes in Afghanistan.

Both meetings highlighted the shared vision of fostering greater transparency, accountability, and long-term sustainability in Afghanistan’s healthcare system.

Through strategic collaborations with UNDP and UNFPA, Jalali aims to drive impactful reforms that will improve healthcare access and outcomes across the country.

The commitment of both organizations to supporting Afghanistan’s healthcare sector underscores the importance of international partnerships in tackling complex health challenges and ensuring the well-being of the Afghan people.

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