Indonesia's health minister announced on the 20th that after investigating 99 children's deaths this year, it was found that some local medicinal syrups contained acute kidney injury components that killed children.
According to "AsiaNews" reported on the same day, Indonesia has so far confirmed 206 cases of acute kidney injury in children. The Indonesian health minister revealed that the actual number of cases may be higher than the reported figures.
The Indonesian government said it was closely watching the local paracetamol syrups used to treat fevers in children, which contain diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol. At present, all local syrup drugs have been temporarily suspended.
Indonesia’s health minister said that authorities found products containing ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol in some patients’ homes, but did not disclose the specific number.
"The Indonesian Food and Drug Administration said that these special products are not available locally. At the same time, the Gambian government is also investigating 70 similar cases, the syrup involved is produced in India, and the Indian side is investigating.
Most of the sick children in Indonesia are under the age of 5, and the symptoms are fever, cough, runny nose, diarrhea, vomiting, etc.
Moreover, their urination began to decrease, and the kidneys suddenly stopped producing urine. Even if the catheter was inserted, no urine was excreted. The B-ultrasound found that there was no urine at all.
It is reported that the Indonesian Ministry of Health has asked hospitals to collect all medicines given to children so that they can be tested for poisons. In addition, the sale of cough syrup medicines has also been requested to be temporarily suspended until further notice.
It is also reported that since July this year, 69 children in the Gambia have suffered from kidney failure and died one after another. Investigators found that the related deaths were suspected to be related to four cold syrups developed and manufactured by India's Maiden Pharmaceuticals.
The investigation reported that dozens of children aged 5 months to 4 years fell ill three to five days after taking the cold syrup from India's Maiden Pharmaceuticals, and 69 of them died of acute kidney failure.
The Gambia Ministry of Health also urgently asked hospitals to stop using the brand of drug. Although the Gambian government has ordered a ban on the medicines from India's Maiden Pharmaceuticals, some private clinics and hospitals are still selling the brand's cold syrup.
Indonesian health ministry officials revealed on October 12 that the child deaths in Indonesia were not linked to the Gambia, because the Gambia's contaminated Indian cold syrup was not registered for sale in Indonesia.
