It could be recalled that On 1 August 2022, the Epidemic and Disease Control Unit of the Ministry of Health in Gambia reported an unusual event detected at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul, the main tertiary hospital in the country. A total of 75 cases of acute kidney injury (AKI) of unknown etiology with dozens of deaths were reported.
A wave of child deaths from Acute kidney injury (AKI), sent shockwaves across The Gambia, prompting a government inquiry and investigations leading to an urgent arrangement of an emergency technical meeting with experts on the findings of the AKI outbreak in the country that led to the death of at least dozens of young children.
Addressing the nation on Friday 7th October 2022 on the subject of the Acute Kidney Injury cases in The Gambia, President Barrow authorized the Medicine Control Agency(MCA), through the Ministry of Health, to suspend the license of the suspected pharmacy and importer of medication that suspected to be responsible for the AKI and deaths of children while investigations are ongoing.
He added that a surge in acute kidney injuries likely linked to paracetamol syrup that killed dozens of children in past months was under control, with only two diagnoses in the last two weeks.
President Barrow also directed the Foreign Minister to reach out to the Indian Ambassador to The Gambia for consultation on his government’s most profound concern over the issue.
Furthermore, the suspected pharmacy owner and importer of the drug syrups, as well as Senior Officials of the Medicine Control Agency, have been called for questioning by The Gambia Police Force to assist in their investigation.
The Barrow administration is also reviewing the entire drug and medical licensing regime to inform other causes of action.
Meanwhile, the President has assigned a high-powered delegation to meet the families affected by the AKI death cases, express his government’s condolences, and share their grief in these difficult times.
President Adama Barrow reassures the families and the public of his government’s commitment to do all it can to get to the bottom of the AKI death cases and possible remedies to avoid its recurrence.
The Gambia Government in its effort to curb the menance , through The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Medicines Control Agency and The Gambia Red Cross Society has launched an urgent door-to-door campaign eliminate cough and cold syrups ( Paracetamol syrups, Promethazine syrups and Cough syrups) blamed for the deaths of the children .
Source : office of the president
