Minister of Health
By Buba Gagigo
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has urged parents in the Gambia to take their sick children to the nearest health facility and not to self-medicate them.
The ministry made the pieces of advice for parents in the 12th situation report on the Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) dated 14th October 2022.
The advice dubbed ‘key message, said: ” 1. Parents and caregivers should not self-medicate children; 2. Take sick children to the nearest health facility; 3. Avoid all Paracetamol syrups, Promethazine syrups, and Cough syrups; 4. Avoid ALL Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited Products, and if in possession, kindly surrender the medicines to any Gambia Red Cross Society branch, or to nearest health centre.”
The message from the MoH followed the death of at least 70 Gambian children of AKI between from July to date.
The condition is linked to imported syrups manufactured by an Indian firm, Maiden Pharmaceutical Limited.