The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Moji Adeyeye, has said that the contaminated cough and cold syrups that killed 66 children in the Gambia are not registered by the agency and therefore should not be in circulation in Nigeria.

World Health Organisation (WHO) in an earlier alert said the contaminated medications may have been distributed outside of the West African country, with global exposure ‘possible’.

The four pediatric cough syrups identified in The Gambia and reported to WHO in September 2022 are Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup and Magrip N Cold Syrup. The syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals in India had failed to provide guarantees about their safety and quality.

Professor Adeyeye in a media briefing in Abuja, on Tuesday, declared that the agency is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that Nigeria does not record any casualty from the four cough and cold syrups contaminated with Diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, two chemicals that are toxic to humans.

According to her, “This is a worrisome development which once again beams a searchlight on the essence of effective regulation and control of medical products.

“NAFDAC is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that these products do not cause harm to our people. As part of our regulatory controls, NAFDAC has issued an alert to the public on Public Alert No. 039/2022 – Alert on Substandard (contaminated) pediatric cough syrups circulating in the Gambia.

“We have put appropriate measures in place to prevent the entry of these spurious products from the various ports of entry and have activated our internal surveillance mechanisms to mop up these products from the supply chain pipeline if they are ever found.

“NAFDAC implores importers, distributors, retailers and consumers and stakeholders 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. Members of the public in possession of the above-listed products are advised to discontinue sale or use and submit stock to the nearest NAFDAC office.

“If you have these substandard products, please DO NOT use them. If you, or someone you know, have used these products or suffered any adverse reaction/event after use, you are advised to seek immediate medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional,” she added. (Tribune)

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