The Gambia: Dozens of children have died after drinking adulterated syrups, according to a commission of inquiry.

Deadly syrups? The Presidential Commission of Inquiry in The Gambia said on Friday that four types of syrups imported from India were responsible for the death of at least 70 children from acute kidney failure in 2022.

The task force noted several malfunctions that led to the use of these adulterated syrups, Health Minister Dr. Ahmadu Lamin Samateh told reporters. He announced the dismissal of the director of the drug control agency and his deputy. The minister also pointed to the responsibility of the supervising pharmacist, who allowed the importation of syrups without the necessary checks.

Cough and cold syrups

The Gambia recalled several medicines in October 2022 after the death of at least 70 children, including all cough and cold syrups in circulation in the country, as well as all products manufactured by the Indian laboratory Maiden Pharmaceuticals, from which counterfeit syrups are made. According to the WHO, these preparations contained “unacceptable” amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, commonly used as antifreeze, which can be fatal when taken.

The Board of Inquiry concluded that the drugs were not registered with the drug control agency prior to entry, as required by law, and noted the urgent need to set up a quality control laboratory to test all drugs entering the country. The Minister of Health also pointed out several things that need to be improved to improve the quality of the health care system, such as the establishment of a school of pharmacy at the university or stricter control of drugs in circulation.

Anticipated prosecutions

He also said that the Gambian government was looking into ways to sue the Indian pharmaceutical lab from which the drugs were made and seek compensation. The trial in this case is due to begin at the end of October in The Gambia. Following this health scandal, India launched an investigation and in October 2022 closed the Maiden Pharmaceuticals laboratory plant in northern India.

In early 2023, the WHO issued a call for “immediate and coordinated action” to eliminate substandard and falsified medicines, in particular falsified cough syrups. A total of 300 children died in the Gambia, Indonesia and Uzbekistan.