An urgent warning has been issued to parents in Indonesia after almost 200 people died from suspected contamination in cough syrup.
Soaring cases of acute kidney injury (AKI) among mostly children under the age of six in the country have forced a ban on the sale of certain types of liquid medicine, according to Channel News Asia.
Symptoms of the life-threatening condition include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine and headache.
A total of 199 deaths have now been reported, with Indonesian Health Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Syahril confirming this week that 206 cases of AKI in minors were being investigated.
Outlining the restrictions on sales, he said: “As a precaution, the ministry has asked health workers in health facilities not to prescribe liquid medicine or syrup temporarily.
“We also ask that drug stores temporarily stop all sales of non-prescription liquid medicine or syrup until our investigations are completed.”
Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said unusual concentrations of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol - chemicals more usually found in antifreeze and brake fluids - had been found in syrups used by some child patients.
Mr Sadikin also admitted that actual numbers of cases could be higher than currently recorded.
It comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) raised the alarm over four cough syrups manufactured in India to child deaths from kidney failure in The Gambia.
The four medicines are cough and cold syrups produced by Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited in India.
While the contaminated products had only been detected in Gambia, they may have been distributed to other countries, WHO said back in October.
The United Nations health agency said it was conducting investigations with the company and regulatory authorities in India.
In a direct warning to parents, a statement from WHO said: “If you have these substandard products, please DO NOT use them.
“If you, or someone you know, have used them or suffered any adverse reaction/event after use, you are advised to seek immediate medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional and report the incident to the National Regulatory Authority.”
