WHO ISSUES A WARNING ABOUT TAINTED COUGH MEDICINE IN CAMEROON.

Tunji Wusu –

According to the World Health Organization, a batch of cold syrup marketed as Naturcold and distributed in Cameroon had exceptionally high concentrations of dangerous chemicals that were tainted.

The use of Naturcold, which is thought to have contributed to the deaths of six children under the age of five at a medical institution in the Fundong health district, in the North-West region of Cameroon, has been discouraged by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control since April.

In 2022, cough syrups for kids with verified or suspected poisoning with high quantities of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol led to the deaths of more than 300 children, most of whom were under five years old, in the Gambia, Indonesia, and Uzbekistan from acute renal injury.

According to WHO, the sale of Naturcold Syrup in Cameroon was first reported on March 13, 2023, and WHO received samples of the syrup on June 27, 2023.

It said that the syrup’s investigation revealed that diethylene glycol impurities in prohibited concentrations were present in the product.

Diethylene glycol was found in samples of Naturcold in amounts of up to 28.6%. According to the WHO, the permissible level for diethylene glycol is 0.10 percent maximum.

When taken by humans, diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol are fatally poisonous.

The inadequate items, according to the international health organization, are dangerous and their usage, particularly on youngsters, may result in fatal or catastrophic injuries.

In addition to acute kidney injury that may result in death, toxic effects might cause abdominal discomfort, vomiting, diarrhoea, the inability to pass urine, headaches, altered mental status, and acute kidney injury.

It claimed that although Fraken International (England) is named as the product’s declared maker on the package, the United Kingdom’s national regulatory agency, the MHRA, has certified that there is no such company in the UK.

“Investigations to ascertain the product’s provenance are still ongoing. Because of this, WHO has not received any warranties from the named manufacturer regarding the reliability and safety of these goods.

“The item mentioned in this alert may already be on the market in other nations or regions. Additionally, it might have reached neighboring nations through unofficial marketplaces, it continued.