Gambia deaths: WHO stands by its action of issuing alert regarding the Indian cough medicine
Cough syrups India-Gambia-WHO
The issue ofthe deaths of Gambian children blamed on some Indian cough syrups is still in the churn, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that it stands by its action of issuing an alert regarding the said medicine.The WHO statementcomes after India notified it that samples obtained from the Indian pharmaceutical business Maiden Pharma, whose goods were implicated in the deaths of children in the Gambia, had been deemed to meet the necessary specifications.
Watch|Gambia cough syrup deaths: After WHO's alert, Indian govt's crackdown on Maiden Pharma
In a letter to the global health authority dated December 13, India's drugs controller general, VG Somani, said that tests conducted on samples of Maiden Pharma's products "have been found to be complying with specifications". The letter also said that samples were not contaminated with ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol as alleged.
Talking to BBC via email, the health agency said, "WHO's mandate is to issue global alerts about potential risks. WHO stands by the action taken," adding that "contaminated syrups are dangerous and should not be in any medicine, ever".
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WHO in October said that its investigators had found "unacceptable" levels of the two chemicals in Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup; cough syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals, an Indian company.
These chemicals have been known to be toxic and can cause kidney damage.
In the letter addressed to WHO's director of regulation and prequalification Roderigo Gaspar, Somani claimed that the health agency's October statement connecting the deaths to the cough syrup made in India had done "irreparable damage" to the nation's pharmaceutical supply chain.
(With inputs from agencies)
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