Centre forms committee to examine WHO details on 66 kid deaths in The Gambia
Darpan News Desk IANS, 12 Oct, 2022 11:00 AM
New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) The Centre has formed a four-member panel to examine the detailed report shared by the World Health Organisation on 66 children's deaths in The Gambia reportedly after using Indian-made medicines.
"The committee will examining and analysing adverse event reports, causal relationship, and all related details shared by WHO. After examining, the committee will suitably advise and recommend the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) about further course of action. The committee may co-opt any other technical expert as deemed necessary, an official source told IANS.
The WHO had issued an alert on four India-made cough and cold syrups "potentially linked with acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children in Gambia".
The committee will be chaired by Dr Y.K Gupta, Vice Chairperson, Standing National Committee on Medicines. The other members are Dr Pragya D. Yadav, NIV, ICMR, Pune, Dr Arti Bahl, Division of Epidemiology, NCDC, New Delhi, and A.K. Pradhan, JDC(I), CDSCO.
The WHO has informed that as per the tentative results received by it, out of the 23 samples of the products under reference which were tested, four samples have been found to contain Diethylene Glycol/Ethylene Glycol.
However, the global health body has not yet made available the certificate of analysis. It has informed that the same will be made available in near future. The exact one to one causal relation of death has not yet been provided by the WHO to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) although it has requested the global health body twice in this regard, sources told IANS.
After the CDSCO launched a detailed investigation to ascertain the facts, the preliminary enquiry has revealed that Maiden Pharmaceutical Ltd, Sonepat, Haryana is a manufacturer licensed by the State Drug Controller for products Promethazine Oral Solution BP, Kofexnalin Baby Cough Syrup, MaKoff Baby Cough Syrup, and MaGrip n Cold Syrup under reference, and holds manufacturing permission for these products for export only. The company has manufactured and exported these products only to The Gambia.
Meanwhile, the CDSCO and State Drug Controller Haryana have stopped all the manufacturing activities of Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd at Sonepat on October 11 on grounds of deficiencies found on local inspection.
The IAF deeply regrets the loss of lives and stands firmly with the bereaved families, it said, adding that a court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident. The aircraft had took off from Uttarlai airbase and crashed near Bhimda village.
The videos of LPG cylinders, cars and other vehicles floating on streets amid gushing water are going viral on social media. Officials said that rain started to pour the city on Monday evening which continued till Wednesday leaving residents stranded as streets were water clogged bringing traffic to a standstill.
The vessel, worth around Rs 30 crore, was allgedly being used by by Pankaj Mishra, a close aide of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. It was being operated illegally without having any permit from Sukargarh Ghat, Sahebganj, the agency said, adding that the vessel was seized during a search operation conducted on Tuesday.
The accused were identified as Mohd Sahil, 28, Mohd Waseem, 18, Mohd Yusuf, 29, and Ashish Chawla, 43. Deputy Commissioner of Police, South, Benita Mary Jaiker said that the matter came to notice when a PCR call was received on July 18, reporting that a courier package having 80 knives was found dropped in C.R. Park area.
Officials said under a pilot project net metering roof top solar power plant in four mandis are being installed and such solar power plants will be installed in 23 mandis. The minister said a project report should be prepared for all grain and vegetable markets for setting up net monitoring solar power plants so that the people can be provided with affordable electricity.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was released by the Delhi Police almost over six hours after he was detained during his party's march from Parliament to Rashtrapati Bhawan, officials said Tuesday. "They have been released," Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Amrutha Gugolth said while responding to a query about the Congress party leaders' detention.
