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BANJUL: Gambia’s government has said the number of child deaths from acute kidney injury, thought to be linked to Indian-made cough syrups, has risen to 70 from a previous toll of 69.
President Adama Barrow gave the update at an emergency cabinet meeting which he convened to discuss the crisis.
The syrups were found to be made by New Delhi-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd, which has since had one of its factories shut down in northern India as health authorities there investigate.
Gambia is also investigating the deaths and this week set up a new commission of inquiry to deal with them, the government said.
It should be noted that the pharmaceutical industry in India was valued at an estimated US$42 billion in 2021. India is the world’s largest provider of generic medicines by volume, with a 20% share of total global pharmaceutical exports. It is also the largest vaccine supplier in the world by volume, accounting for more than 50% of all vaccines manufactured in the world.
