Child deaths linked to cough syrup rise to 70

Gambia’s government on Friday said the number of child deaths from acute kidney injury, thought to be linked to Indian-made cough syrups, has risen to 70 from a previous toll of 69.

President Adama Barrow gave the update at an emergency cabinet meeting which he convened on Thursday to discuss the crisis, according to a presidency statement.

The syrups were found to be made by New Delhi-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd, which has since had one of its factories shut down in northern India as health authorities there investigate.

Gambia is also investigating the deaths and this week set up a new commission of inquiry to deal with them, the statement said.

Known as a “pharmacy of the world”, India supplies 45% of all generic medicines to Africa.

The deaths of children in Gambia – one of the worst such incidents involving drugs from India – have come as a blow to the industry whose exports more than doubled in the last decade to hit $24.5 billion last fiscal year.

On October 12, according to a Reuters report, Indian authorities inspected the Maiden factory in the state of Haryana four times this month and suspended all manufacturing activities there on Tuesday “on grounds of deficiencies found in location inspection”.

Haryana’s health minister said an inspection conducted jointly by state and federal officials found 12 “flaws”.

“Keeping this in view, the entire production of the company has been banned and notice has also been issued,” minister Anil Vij said in a statement, referring to Maiden’s main factory in Sonipat district.

Maiden executive Naresh Kumar Goyal declined to comment.

A top Indian health official, who declined to be named, said the government would not tolerate wrongdoing but that it was important to find out what exactly happened in Gambia. He denied allegations by some critics that health regulations in India, especially at the level of states, were lax