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Photo: Martial Trezzini / picture alliance/dpa/KEYSTONE
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns of the use of four contaminated medicines from an Indian manufacturer after dozens of deaths in children in West Africa.
According to the WHO, the cough and cold syrups sold in Gambia are suspected of causing acute kidney failure and the deaths of more than 60 children, as the WHO announced in Geneva on Wednesday.
Drugs may also be used in other countries
The Gambian health authorities called for the suspected cough and cold syrups to no longer be prescribed.
According to them, the children affected by kidney failure were under five years old.
According to the WHO, it is investigating the incident in cooperation with the manufacturer Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited and Indian authorities.
It cannot be ruled out that the drugs in question were also used in other countries.
Substances also found in antifreeze and brake fluids
As the Reuters news agency reported, citing the WHO, laboratory analyzes of four Maiden cough syrups are said to have shown "unacceptable" and toxic levels of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol.
These substances are used in antifreeze, brake fluid and other industrial applications, but also as a cheaper alternative in some pharmaceutical products.
According to Reuters, the Indian Ministry of Health asked the WHO to submit its report on "establishing the causal relationship between the deaths and the drugs in question".
»Strict measures if anything is wrong after the tests«
Maiden manager Naresh Kumar Goyal told Reuters the company only found out about the deaths on Thursday morning and is now trying to find out details.
"We're trying to work with the buyer to find out exactly what happened." He declined to comment further.
The case is a major blow to India's image as the 'pharmacy of the world', supplying medicines to all continents, particularly Africa.
Anil Vij, health minister of Haryana state, where Maiden has its factories, warned of "strict measures to be taken if anything is found wrong after testing," according to Reuters.
swe/dpa/Reuters