Gambia has launched an urgent campaign to withdraw cough syrups from the market, which are believed to have caused the deaths of over 60 children affected by kidney injuries in the small West African nation. This incident has shocked the country, which has a population of 2.4 million. The death of 66 children due to acute kidney injuries prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to issue an alert regarding four medical products, after the agency was informed about the matter in September 2022. It was found that these drugs do not meet the required standards, either in terms of quality or specifications, and are therefore considered "substandard".
During a meeting with journalists, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the four medications are used for cough and cold relief and are potentially linked to acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children. These drugs are meant to combat coughs and colds, and so far, the contaminated medications have only been discovered in Gambia, but they may have been distributed to other countries. Ghebreyesus confirmed that the organization is following up on investigations with the company and the relevant authorities in India, and recommends that all countries identify and withdraw these products from the market to prevent further harm to patients.
