The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued alerts against four cough and cold syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals in India.
A statement released by WHO on Wednesday warned that the syrups could be linked to acute kidney injuries and deaths of 66 children in the west African nation, The Gambia.
The alert covers four products: Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup, and Magrip N Cold Syrup.
“Laboratory analysis of samples of each of the four products confirms that they contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants,” the WHO said.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that while the contaminated products have so far only been detected in the Gambia, they may have been distributed to other countries.
Meanwhile, further reports indicate that the government of Gambia has been investigating the deaths after there was a spike in cases of acute kidney injury among children under the age of five in late July.