#Headlines

AKI case faces setback at high court

Jul 18, 2023, 1:18 PM | Article By: Bekai Njie

A law suit against the Ministry of Health, Attorney, Maiden Pharmaceutical; Atlantic Pharmaceutical and Medical Controls Agency could not proceed at the High Court yesterday as two of the defendants did not receive the summon.

The suit was brought in by presidents of the Gambia Bar Association (GAB), Female Lawyers Association and Loubna Farage – a private legal practitioner. The trio have reportedly filed the suit on behalf of 19 plaintiffs representing family members who died from Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) following the consumption of a cough syrup manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals.

The claim is for declaratory reliefs that the deaths of the plaintiffs’ children were caused by the consumption of contaminated medicines manufactured my Maiden Pharmaceutical; damages of 15 million per child for pain and suffering and death and declaration that MCA failed in their statutory duty to regulate the quality & safety of medicines.

More than 70 children were said to have died as a result of consuming the cough syrup made by the Maiden Pharmaceutical.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) last year said the deaths of the children in The Gambia could be linked to four contaminated cough and cold syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals, an Indian drug manufacturer.

Victims of the AKI have repeatedly called on the government to ensure that those responsible for the death of their children are held accountable.

The matter resumes in October 2023.