In Gambia, a health scandal erupts as the trial into the case of 70 children who died following the consumption of cough syrup resumes at the Banjul court. The Ministry of Health and the National Drug Regulatory Authority are accused of negligence in controlling these drugs imported from India.
According to the indictment, the drugs in question contained toxic substances and had not been subjected to quality testing before distribution in The Gambia. The country, which did not have the necessary means to carry out these tests, would therefore have failed in its responsibility to protect the health of its citizens.
The families of the victims, bereaved by the loss of their children, have initiated legal proceedings to obtain justice. They are seeking damages of $250,000 for each of the deceased children.
As for Gambian health authorities, the defense is based on the theory that the children died after drinking dirty water. A commission of inquiry set up by the Gambian presidency concluded that the majority of children died of kidney failure.
The manufacturer of the drugs in question, the Indian laboratory Maiden Pharmaceuticals, rejects any responsibility in this matter. He denies having produced defective medicines and claims to have respected the standards in force when manufacturing cough syrups.
For the victims’ families, this trial is an opportunity to obtain justice and prevent future similar tragedies. They hope that all the accused will be tried and convicted in order to guarantee the safety of medicines imported into Gambia.
In response to this affair, Gambian President Adama Barrow recently announced the creation of a national drug quality control laboratory. This initiative aims to strengthen security measures and avoid the repetition of such tragedies in the future.
It is essential that health authorities take their responsibilities in regulating imported medicines. The health and safety of citizens must be a top priority to avoid such tragedies. All actors involved must be held accountable for their actions or inaction in protecting the lives of Gambian children.