The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) has been alerted to dubious health products being traded by an Indian company, Maiden Pharmaceuticals.
“The products as they appear on the World Health Organisation (WHO) product list are not registered for use in South Africa,” Sahpra said.
The four products are Promethazine oral solution, Kofexmalin baby cough syrup, Makoff baby cough syrup and Magrip N Cold syrup.
Sahpra said the products contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, which are toxic and can be fatal.
“These products have been identified in Gambia, but there is a possibility that they may be distributed to other countries.”
Sahpra said 33 children in Gambia died of kidney-related illness. The WHO conducted laboratory tests which linked the medication to those deaths.
Sahpra said toxic effects after consumption of the products can include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, headache, altered mental state and acute kidney injury which may lead to death.
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