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Indonesia’s health minister said on Friday that the number of children who had died from acute kidney injury (AKI) rose to 133.
Indonesia saw a spike in acute kidney injury (AKI) cases this year, prompting a probe and ban on all syrup and liquid medicine prescriptions and sales.
“We have identified 241 cases of acute kidney injury in 22 provinces, with 133 fatalities,” Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin told a press conference.
Mr. Budi said authorities found traces of harmful substances in children being treated for AKI.
“Seven out of 11 children had that harmful substance: ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol butyl ether.”
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“It is confirmed that (AKI) was caused by (those) substances.”
The World Health Organization said this month that it found an “unacceptable amount” of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol in four Indian-made cough syrups that were linked to the deaths of nearly 70 children in The Gambia due to AKI.
Indonesian authorities found traces of similar substances in 102 syrup medicines in the homes of affected children, Mr. Budi said.