WHO alert over India-made cough syrups after deaths in The Gambia
October 6, 2022, 12:21 pm

WHO alert over India-made cough syrups after deaths in The Gambia

The WHO said that the cough syrups have been "potentially linked with acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children." Photo. Pixabay

A global alert has been issued over four cough syrups after the World Health Organization (WHO) warned they could be linked to the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia, the BBC reported.

The WHO said that the syrups have been "potentially linked with acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children."

It added that the products were manufactured by an Indian company, Maiden Pharmaceuticals, which had failed to provide guarantees about their safety,.

The firm has not yet commented. The BBC has contacted Maiden Pharmaceuticals for comment.

The WHO identified the medicines as Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup.

The four products had been identified in The Gambia, but "may have been distributed, through informal markets, to other countries or regions", the WHO added, in the alert published on its website.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a news conference organized by Geneva Association of United Nations Correspondents (ACANU) amid the COVID-19 outbreak, caused by the novel coronavirus, at the WHO headquarters in Geneva Switzerland July 3, 2020. (File photo: Reuters)

It warned that their use may result in serious injury or death, especially among children.

The WHO's intervention came after medical authorities in The Gambia - a popular tourist destination - detected an increase in cases of acute kidney injury among children under the age of five in late July.

The Gambia's government has since suspended the use of all paracetamol syrups and has urged people to use tablets instead.

WHO: Cholera outbreaks surging worldwide, fatality rates rising

The WHO said that laboratory analysis of samples of the products "confirms that they contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants".

The substances were toxic, and their effects "can include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, headache, altered mental state and acute kidney injury which may lead to death," it added.

The Gambia's health officials said last month that dozens of children had died, without giving an exact number.

Speaking in Geneva on Wednesday (Oct 5), WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus said: "The loss of these young lives is beyond heart-breaking for their families."

WHO monitoring cases of pneumonia of unknown origin in Argentina

The WHO said that India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation indicated that the manufacturer may have only supplied the contaminated medications to The Gambia, AFP news agency reports, quoting an email from the UN health agency.

But the WHO said that "global exposure" was possible as the "manufacturer may have used the same contaminated material in other products and distributed them locally or exported" them, the agency reports.

Source: BBC

UK’s largest nursing union begin biggest strike ballot in more than 100 years NYT says that U.S. believes Ukrainians behind killing of Dugina in Russia

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”