Minister of Gender, Children & Social Welfare
By Buba Gagigo
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (MoFEA) informed the Ministry of Gender, Children & Social Welfare that the Government has allocated D1 million for its Minister to lead a Government team to pay condolences to the families of the children who died of the Acute Kidney Injury (AKI).
“…I write to inform you that the sum of D1, 000, 000 (one million) has been released to your Ministry. The allocation has been released as Development through Epicor Reference Number 22CAI7900: This is to enable your Honorable Minister lead a Government Condolence team to visit the families of the AKI victims, as stated in the retrenched letter,” an excerpt of the Ministry of Finance’s letter to the Gender Ministry dated 20 October 2022 reads.
From July to date, 70 Gambian children have lost their lives to the Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) linked 4 brands of imported syrups made in India by Maiden Pharmaceutical Limited.
The medicines have since been banned with a larger quantity then recalled by the Gambia’s Ministry of Health and partners, following an alert by the World Health Organisation that the syrups contain substances dangerous to health.