SaharaReporters had on Saturday reported that the Gambian Government called on families in the country to return India-made Cough Syrup linked to deaths of 66 children.
The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned importers, distributors, retailers, and Nigerian consumers to avoid the importation, distribution, sale and use of substandard cough syrups made in India.
SaharaReporters had on Saturday reported that the Gambian Government called on families in the country to return India-made Cough Syrup linked to deaths of 66 children.
The West African country had also launched a door-to-door campaign to collect the cough and cold syrups blamed for the deaths of the children from kidney injury.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had also on Wednesday warned that four "contaminated" and "substandard" cough syrups allegedly produced by Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited based in Haryana's Sonepat could be the reason for the deaths in the West African nation.
In Nigeria, NAFDAC regulates and controls the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale, and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, packaged water, chemicals and detergents.
Speaking with PUNCH, NAFDAC Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, said the products were not registered by NAFDAC, and therefore should not be in circulation.
“We are alerting members of the public that if they come across it in the market, it is not approved by NAFDAC and people should avoid it. Our pharmacovigilance directorate goes into the market as detectives to ensure that no product that is not approved by NAFDAC is in circulation. That is why we are warning that a certain number of drugs have not been approved by NAFDAC and Nigerians should avoid them,” Akintola said.
Also, an alert notice to health care providers and the public issued by the agency stated that all batches of the products should be considered unsafe.
It partly read, “The substandard products in this alert are unsafe and their use, especially in children, may result in serious injury or death.
“NAFDAC implores importers, distributors, retailers, and consumers to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid the importation, distribution, sale, and use of substandard cough syrups. All medical products must be obtained from authorised/licensed suppliers. The products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked.”