The Gambian parliament will on Wednesday convene for an extraordinary session to debate the deaths of nearly 70 children linked to cough syrups made in India. The children were diagnosed with serious kidney problems. Wednesday's session in parliament will be the first by lawmakers in the country since the tragedy happened earlier this month.
Gambian health authorities said there were no more new cases, but there are 82 existing cases and 12 recoveries. Most of the existing cases involve children aged one and two years. Civil society organizations in the country are mounting pressure on the authorities to take action against those responsible for importing the drugs. Health officials and the Red Cross have started a second phase of recalling the cough syrups. Police investigations have established that the Medicine Control Agency was established without a laboratory to test the safety of the drugs. President Adama Barrow has set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the deaths.
