Indonesia has temporarily banned all syrup-based and liquid cough medicines after the death of nearly 100 children from acute kidney failure since the start of this year.
Most of those affected are said to be below the age of six.
Muhammad Syahril Mansyur, the country’s health ministry spokesman, said: “Until today, we have received 206 reported cases from 20 provinces with 99 deaths.”
He added: “As a precaution, the ministry has asked all health workers in health facilities not to prescribe liquid medicine or syrup temporarily … we also asked drug stores to temporarily stop non-prescription liquid medicine or syrup sales until the investigation is completed.”
The ban, announced by the health ministry on Wednesday, applies to prescription and over-the-counter medicines. It comes after nearly 70 children died of acute kidney failure this year in the Gambia, linked to four brands of paracetamol cough syrup manufactured by India’s Maiden Pharmaceuticals.
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Source: The Times, 20 October 2022
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