Indonesia bans all syrup medicines after death of 99 children - BBC

Indonesian fears of astir 100 children's deaths perchance being linked to a cough syrup person led to a nationwide prohibition connected each liquid medicines.

It comes conscionable weeks aft a cough syrup successful The Gambia was linked to the deaths of astir 70 children.

Indonesia said immoderate cough syrups were recovered to incorporate ingredients linked to acute kidney injuries (AKI), which person killed 99 young children this year.

It is not wide if the cough syrups were imported oregon locally produced.

On Thursday, Indonesian wellness officials said it had reported astir 200 cases of AKI successful children, astir of which were those aged nether five. Of that, astir fractional - oregon 99 children - had died.

Earlier this month, the The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a planetary alert implicit 4 cough syrups that were linked to the deaths of astir 70 children successful The Gambia.

The WHO recovered the syrups utilized determination - made by an Indian pharmaceutical institution - contained "unacceptable amounts" of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol. The syrups person been "potentially linked with acute kidney injuries", said the organisation.

Indonesia's Health Minister connected Thursday said the aforesaid chemic compounds were besides recovered successful the medicines utilized locally.

"Some syrups that were utilized by AKI kid patients nether 5 were proven to incorporate ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol that were not expected to beryllium there, oregon of precise small amount," said Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

However, helium did not disclose however galore cases progressive the toxic medicines.

Indonesian authorities said the cough syrups utilized successful The Gambia were not sold locally.

One epidemiologist said the existent decease toll could beryllium adjacent higher than reported.

"When cases similar these happen, [what we cognize is] the extremity of the iceberg, which means determination could beryllium acold much victims," Dicky Budiman, an epidemiologist from Griffith University told BBC Indonesia.

Indonesian authorities person truthful acold not disclosed the brands oregon types of syrup medicines linked to sick children - alternatively conscionable temporarily banning the merchantability and medicine of each syrup and liquid medicines.