Gov’t warned against Indian-made cough syrup linked to death of children in West Africa

JUBA — Activist Edmund Yakani has this morning warning the government against allowing use of an Indian-made cough syrup after the World Health Organization (WHO) issued alert after 66 children died in The Gambia over related use.

In a statement this morning, Yakani who is the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) urged the government to take preventive measures as drug may be smuggled.

“CEPO is urging the medical authorities in South Sudan to undertake preventive measures on the negative development in our continent on issues of children cough syrups,” Yakani said.

“It is essential that our medical authorities to check our markets if any of this children syrups exist and immediately stop them from being use by our citizens,” he added.

The prominent activist stressed that “since the alert is raised by the global UN health body WHO, our leadership should immediately also issue national preventive measures.”

He called on the minister of health to “speak out to this new negative development around some children syrups identied as dangerous to the health of children.”

“Our big fear is now with our state’s hospitals which are getting worse in medical services provision to the population since the withdrawal of health polled fund from supporting them,” he stressed.

“The government got responsibility by signing the Mou with the health pooled fund providers to take care of the state hospitals but not the already handed over state hospitals the services provision is getting Worse daily.

“So state governors and ministers of health should also take immediate act on preventive measures on the use of the syrups identified by WHO as risk medics to children.

“Finally CEPO is urging the national minister of health to act urgently on this new medical negative development around children syrups.”