Indonesia has banned the sale of all cough syrups nationwide and the authorities are currently investigating the deaths of more than 130 people, including 99 children from acute kidney injuries this year.
This move comes against the backdrop of a World Health Organization alert over four Indian-made cough syrups that it said were potentially linked with acute kidney injuries and the deaths of 70 children in Gambia.
At least 206 cases of acute kidney injury (AKI) are being investigated, mostly in children under the age of five, and 99 deaths, although the authorities believe the real number of cases could be higher.
In the WHO’s laboratory analysis of the contaminated products under investigation in Gambia, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol were found in “unacceptable amounts” in the samples.
Indonesia health minister said two ingredients linked to AKI had been detected in products found in the homes of some of the patients.
“Some syrups that were used by AKI child patients under five [years old] were proven to contain ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol that were not supposed to be there, or of very little amount,” said Budi Gunadi Sadikin, according to Reuters.
Indonesia’s food and drug agency has noted however, that the four cough and cold syrups in question in the Gambia that are believed to have been manufactured by India-based Maiden Pharmaceuticals, were not available locally.
The health ministry has not said which brands of syrups it is investigating, but has instead imposed a blanket ban “as a precaution” on the sale of all liquid medicines.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness had placed Jamaica on alert for four Indian manufactured cough syrups earlier this month. This followed the warning from the World Health Organization (WHO) that they were linked to the deaths of children in Gambia.
The MOHW said then, that the possibility of the items entering Jamaica is remote. The four cough and cold syrups, Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup, are made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals in India.
