Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 14 martyrs arrive at al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli massacre of al-Sultan Family north of Gaza.
Qatari PM: We must not surrender to the arrogance of extremists and pursue our quest for a 'two-state solution'
Qatari PM: The only path to peace begins through negotiations and a ceasefire
Qatari PM: We demand that the Security Council assume its historical responsibility, as silence in the face of the law of the jungle undermines international peace and destabilizes the UN system
Qatari PM: The extremists who rule "Israel" do not care about the lives of the "hostages"; otherwise, how can the timing and location of the attack be explained?
Qatari PM: 'Israel's' attack on Hamas leaders in Doha is a violation of Qatar's sovereignty
Qatari PM: The ongoing [Israeli] violations only prove one thing: the Israeli officials' drunkenness on power amid impunity
Yemeni Ministry of Health: The death toll from the Israeli aggression on Sanaa and Al-Jawf Governorate has risen to 46, in addition to 165 injuries, including a large number of women and children, according to a non-final toll
Representative of Russia to the Security Council: What happened is not a coincidence, but rather a logical consequence of the complete impunity 'Israel' enjoys

Cough syrup investigated over death of 66 children in The Gambia

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 6 Oct 2022 08:09
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

Four medication manufacturers in India are being investigated by the WHO for being the possible cause of the deaths, with the E.coli bacteria being another possible linked cause.

  • x
  • Children in The Gambia (AFP)
    Children in The Gambia (AFP)

The deaths of 66 children in the Gambia may be linked to four cough and cold syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals in India, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) alert, which also warned that contaminated medications may have been sent and distributed outside The Gambia - leading to fears of possible global exposure.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the medications “have been potentially linked with acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children." While WHO was investigating the company and regulations in India, Tedros expressed, “The loss of these young lives is beyond heartbreaking for their families.” 

The four cough and cold products are Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup, and Magrip N Cold Syrup.

A Gambian Health Ministry investigation also declared that the acute kidney failure outbreak could be a result of the E. coli bacteria, which broke out in July and is still ongoing. On September 23, health authorities recalled all medicines containing paracetamol or promethazine syrup. The bacteria was discovered in the stools of many children, but many of them also took paracetamol syrup, adding more suspicion to the cause of death.

“The preliminary results from the ongoing investigation indicate that it is most probably the paracetamol and promethazine syrups that caused the acute kidney injury cases in this outbreak,” the nephrologist leading the health ministry’s investigation, Abubacarr Jagne, told AFP Wednesday.

Related News

Over 40, including children, killed in Sudan hospital attack: WHO

WHO faces major downsizing as US funding cuts take toll

In September, the Ministry released a statement, “Since July 2022, there has been an increase in the number of severe kidney disease with high fatality among children mainly following diarrheal diseases". 

The WHO alert said, “To date, the stated manufacturer has not provided guarantees to WHO on the safety and quality of these products,” adding that the lab analysis of the products' samples “confirms that they contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants."

The substances mentioned by the WHO are considered to be fatal, while the toxic effect “can include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, inability to pass urine, headache, altered mental state and acute kidney injury which may lead to death."

When contacted by Reuters, Maiden Pharma declined to comment and the Drugs Controller General of India did not respond, and nor did India’s Health Ministry. However, WHO declared that information received from India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation pointed to the fact that The Gambia was the only country that the manufacturer provided the medications to. 

“However, the supply of these products through informal or unregulated markets to other countries in Africa, cannot be ruled out,” WHO said in an email, warning, “In addition, the manufacturer may have used the same contaminated material in other products and distributed them locally or exported" - reiterating that global exposure could potentially happen.

Tedros further called for caution by urging countries to make an effort to “detect and remove these products from circulation to prevent further harm to patients."

Read next: NyQuil TikTok challenge could lead to prefrontal cortex damage, death

  • Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
  • e.coli
  • WHO
  • The Gambia

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Israeli police and rescue teams respond at the scene of a shooting attack where several people killed and injured in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025 (AP)

Al-Quds shooting: 7 settlers killed, several critically injured

  • Politics
  • 8 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

Pro-'Israel' far-right Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Damage sustained after a Yemeni drone exploded in Ramon Airport, southern occupied Palestine, Sunday, September 7, 2025 (Social Media)

Yemeni drone successfully hits Ramon Airport in southern Palestine

  • Politics
  • 7 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
People pay their respects during a vigil for Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA who was shot and killed, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, in Orem, Utah. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Politics

Civil war talk surges after Charlie Kirk shooting: NYT

Ships that are part of the Global Sumud Flotilla heading to Gaza are anchored off the coast of of Sidi Bou Saïd in Tunis, Tunisia, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Anis Mili)
Politics

Maghreb Fleet prepares to sail for Gaza despite attacks, delays

Hayya leads funeral prayer for his son, other martyrs of Doha strike
Palestine

Hayya leads funeral prayer for his son, other martyrs of Doha strike

ap
Politics

Syria rejects partition, no lasting break with Iran: Al-Sharaa

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS