- The Ministry of Health has registered 206 cases of kidney failure in children, of which 99 have died.
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| Stock image of a medicine drawer in a pharmacy. |
Indonesia urges to stop the sale of syrups after the death of almost 100 children due to kidney failure
Indonesian health authorities urged this Wednesday to stop the sale of all types of syrups after the death of 99 children from kidney failure since January, while dozens of deaths of minors in the Gambia from the same cause are potentially associated with drugs manufactured in India.
Indonesian Ministry of Health spokesman Mohammad Syahril told a news conference on Wednesday that "since the end of August there has been an increase in cases of kidney failure among minors that has drawn our attention."
So far this year, said the ministry has registered 206 cases of kidney failure in children, of which 99 have died, while "previously the usual was one or two cases of childhood kidney injury per month," he said, although they did not reveal the total number of illnesses and deaths for this reason last year.
Syahril stressed that the causes of acute kidney failure are still being investigated and there will be more results next week, while the Indonesian director general of health services urged on Wednesday to temporarily suspend the sale of all types of syrups in the archipelago until there are more inquiries.
The emergency arises after the World Health Organization (WHO) issued an alert on October 6 about four cough and cold syrups produced by the Indian laboratory Maiden Pharmaceuticals, which could have caused the death of kidney failure. over 60 children in The Gambia.
Until now, the Indonesian authorities have claimed that these products were not available in the Southeast Asian nation.
In its alert, the WHO indicated that the four products are promethazine oral solution, "Kofexmalin" and "Makoff" cough syrups for babies, and "Magrip N" cold syrup from the manufacturer Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited (Haryana, 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.
According to the UN agency, "diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol are toxic to humans when consumed and can be fatal," and their effects include "abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, inability to urinate, headache, altered state mental illness and acute kidney injury that can cause death.
The WHO also indicated that, to date, the four products had been identified only in The Gambia, for which they were initially manufactured exclusively, but that they may have been distributed through informal markets to other countries.
Maiden Pharmaceuticals has been in business for more than 30 years and operates two plants in India, both in the northern state of Haryana, for the production of capsules, injectables, liquid syrup, ointments, and tablets that are sold in countries in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. America, according to the company itself.
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