Don’t give babies, toddlers cough or cold syrup, Edo Health Ministry advises public

• As NAFDAC confirms y of four medicines linked with death of 66 children

Following a global alert over four cough syrups reportedly linked with the death of 66 children in The Gambia, the Edo State Ministry of Health has cautioned against the use of cough or cold syrups in babies or toddlers.

A Public Health Notice issued by the ministry and signed by the state Commissioner for Health Prof. Obehi Akoria today also urged pharmaceutical outlets who may have the four medicines in stock  – Promethazine oral solution; Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup; Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cough Syrup –  to dispose of them using the appropriate channels.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in an alert, No. 040/2022, signed by NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, yesterday, also disclosed that laboratory analysis of samples of the four products has confirmed that they contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol as contaminants.

“Diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol are toxic to humans when consumed and can prove fatal. 

“Toxic effects can include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, headache, altered mental state and acute kidney injury, which may lead to death. 

“The stated manufacturer of these products is Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited (Haryana, India). To date, the stated manufacturer has not provided guarantees to WHO on the safety and quality of these products. 

“All the batches of these products listed above should be considered unsafe,” the NAFDAC DG said.