After Gambia, Uzbekistan Blames India Made Cough Syrup For Death of 18 Children

As many as 18 children are said to have died in Uzbekistan from consuming syrup made by an Indian pharmaceutical company, according to the country’s health ministry, months after the Gambian children’s death row.

Marion Biotech Private Limited is the organisation in question which was set up in Uzbekistan in 2012.

The kids who died had ingested the Dok-1 Max Syrup made by Noida-based Marion Biotech, according to a statement from the health ministry. The government reported that so far, Doc-1 Max syrup has caused the deaths of 18 out of 21 children who had acute respiratory disease.

According to early laboratory tests, this particular brand of Doc-1 Max syrup includes ethylene glycol. According to the ministry, “This substance is toxic, and about 1-2 ml/kg of a 95% concentrated solution can cause serious changes in the patient’s health, such as vomiting, fainting, convulsions, cardiovascular problems and acute kidney failure.”

Seven responsible employees in total were dismissed from their positions for being careless and unfocused on their work, and some specialists even faced disciplinary actions.

As of now, Doc-1 Max tablets and syrups cannot be purchased at any pharmacy in the nation without a prescription. The government has also urged parents to monitor their children’s health and only use a prescription to buy medications in pharmacies.

This comes months after the World Health Organization (WHO) issued an alert regarding four cough syrups that were “contaminated” and produced by an Indian pharmaceutical company called Maiden Pharma. These cough syrups were “potentially linked” to acute kidney injuries and 66 child deaths in the Gambia.