" Gambian families sue over fatal cough syrup" 15 July 2023

The parents’ allegations and testimony, detailed in court documents shared exclusively with Reuters, paint the most comprehensive picture yet of the panic, confusion and heartbreak caused by the drugs in an already stretched medical system. From one mother who unwittingly continued to give her child toxic medicine for two days after he started vomiting, to a family forced to repair a leaking intravenous drip that the hospital had attached to their child, the affidavits show parents in desperation as children with originally minor ailments succumbed. At least 70 children died from acute kidney injury in Gambia last year, cases the World Health Organisation (WHO) linked to medicines made by Indian drugmaker Maiden Pharmaceuticals that were contaminated with diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG), toxins normally used as industrial solvents and antifreeze agents. [...] The first hearing is scheduled for July 17. Then the case will be adjourned for 30 days to allow the defendants to file their response, a court spokesperson said. The lawsuit, prepared by lawyers working for no fees, argues that authorities failed to uphold their own laws requiring they ensure that all drugs imported into Gambia are safe.