Syrups Linked to The Gambia Deaths [Photo: ABP News]
The Nigerian government has warned its citizens to be wary of the cough syrups linked to dozens of deaths of children in The Gambia.
This is as reports show that four syrups – Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup, manufactured by an Indian pharmaceutical company – Maiden Pharmaceuticals are suspected to have been contaminated.
According to the World Health Organization the pharmaceutical company has failed to provide guarantees about the safety of the syrups.
Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (Nafdac) has asked the citizens in the country to avoid the said medicines.
In a statement, the agency says anyone who has used the “substandard products” or has suffered any adverse reaction, should seek immediate medical advice and report to the health authorities.
It says effects of the toxic substances allegedly contained in the cough syrups include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, headache and acute kidney injury which may lead to death.
Meanwhile, The Gambia has already started withdrawing the syrups from circulation.
The medicines have been linked to the death of over 66 children in The Gambia.
The WHO had expressed fears that the Gambia might not be the only country where The cough syrups had been exported to.