Cough syrup deaths prompt WHO to issues global call

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer 

February 6, 2023 – The World Health Organization is calling on countries to protect children from contaminated medicines after hundreds died in the Gambia and other countries from poorly made cough syrup.

It maintained that countries should strengthen their ability to prevent, detect and respond to incidents of substandard and falsified medical products following the deaths of over 300 children, most of them under 5 years old who were killed in 7 different countries because of poorly made medication last year.

The bad news started in the Gambia where doctors discovered the connection of an initial 60 child deaths to cough syrup made in India and teens had to run door to door to remove the product from homes lest anyone else falls victim. Still, the death toll rose to over 70.  Indonesia banned the medications completely only weeks after when 130 of their own children were killed by another brand of cough syrup.  In both cases, the deaths went on for months before doctors managed to catch the trend and investigate what was sending so many children to their graves.

“Since these are not isolated incidents.  WHO calls on various key stakeholders engaged in the medical supply chain to take immediate and coordinated action.”  The agency said.

Some of the cough syrups that caused deaths had toxic elements in them that should never be ingested including anti-freeze.

Hospitals, pharmacies, and medicine importers are now being put on alert by making sure their imports are coming from registered trustworthy dealers and keeping proper records of sales so unscrupulous persons who sell contaminated medication can be held for their sometimes deadly concoctions.