The Gambian government has stated that it has “far advanced” in its exploration to seek avenues for potential legal action against Indian drug manufacturer and local distributor, Maiden Pharmaceuticals, over their toxic cough syrups alleged to have killed dozens of children
According to reports, about 70 children in Gambia, most of them under 5 years of age, have died from acute kidney injury last year.
A government task force investigating the deaths had found that they were as ‘a direct result” of foul cough and cold syrups shipped in from India.
Gambia has meanwhile, dismissed the executive director and deputy director of its Medicines Control Agency, MCA, referring the case to the police after the task force discovered that the medicines being investigated were not duly registered with the MCA, which is is a requirement by law.
Gambian’s justice minister had previously revealed that the country has employed the services of a U.S. law firm to explore legal action.
Meanwhile, the Indian drugmaker, Maiden Pharmaceuticals, has refuted any wrongdoing, claiming that tests it ran on the drugs showed they were not contaminated.
Atlantic Pharmaceuticals, a local distributor of the drugs, could mot be reached for a statement as at the time of this report.
The families of 20 of the deceased children have already filed a lawsuit against the Gambian government as well as the two companies.
In 2022, the World Health Organization had revealed that the Indian-produced cough syrups contained lethal toxins ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol. Two products commonly used in car brake fluid and in other products not fit for human consumption.
