WHO alerts against India-made cough syrups after 66 children die in Gambia

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday issued a medical product alert over four cough and cold syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals in India, warning that they could be linked to acute kidney injuries and deaths of 66 children in The Gambia.

According to reports, the global health body said it was conducting further investigation with the company and regulatory authorities in India. "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 and warned that while the contested products had so far been found in the West African nation, the same could have been distributed to other countries.

Last month, Gambia's government said that it has also been investigating the deaths. The government statement came as a spike in cases of acute kidney injury among children under the age of five was detected in late July."While the contaminated products have so far only been detected in the Gambia they may have been distributed to other countries," WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference on Wednesday.