A recent report by the World Health Organization found that about 70 children in the Gambia died after consuming Barat syrup. Following the incident, the World Health Organization has issued a global warning about four cough syrups made by the manufacturing company Maiden Pharmaceuticals.
Indian health officials ordered the cough syrup maker to stop production following the report.
Indian regulatory authorities also found evidence that Maiden Pharmaceuticals violated norms ‘across manufacturing and testing activities’. Investigations are currently underway in India and The Gambia.
Regulators said they have suspended all manufacturing operations of the Delhi-based firm as the firm violated several safety norms. Evidence of multiple rule violations was found against them.
Last week, the agency said it was shocked by media reports of the death and deeply saddened by the incident.
The WHO issued a global warning about Maiden’s four cough syrups, saying they may be linked to severe kidney damage and deaths in children in July, August and September.
The products may be illegally distributed to other countries and territories besides The Gambia, the Global Health Organization has warned.
The medicines are Promethazine Oral Solution, Cofexmaline Baby Cough Syrup, Macoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup.
Police in the Gambia are investigating the deaths of children, as Gambians demand justice for child deaths.
Gambian President Adama Barrow said the authorities would not make any concessions in their investigation.
Gambian police said in a preliminary report released Tuesday that the cough syrups were imported into the West African country by a US-based company.
The report also said that most of the 50,000 bottles of contaminated syrup imported into the country have now been seized.
(October 13)