Chioma Obinna
26 November 2008
A KILLER paracetamol teething mixture has crept into the Nigerian market, snuffing life out of 25 children and leaving scores hospitalised nationwide.
It was a sad Professor Dora Akunyili, Driector-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) who told newsmen yesterday that of the 25 deaths, 15 died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH); eight at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria , and two died at the University College Hospital (UCH) after taking paracetamol teething mixture, "My Pikin".
The Agency has, however, shut the defaulting company located at 1-5 Olugbo Close, Shasha Road, Akowonjo, Lagos and directed the re-screening of all brands of paracetamol syrup nationwide.
Akunyili further explained that investigations revealed that the affected children, below three years of age, were said to be down with fever, diarrhoea, vomiting and were unable to pass urine for several days.
Reeling out some decisive regulatory measures to safeguard the lives of millions of innocent and unsuspecting children, Akunyili who was last week screened by the Senate for a ministerial appointment warned: "All medicine outlets, stores, clinics and hospitals are advised to immediately withdraw from circulation all batches of "My Pikin" teething mixture and surrender them to the nearest NAFDAC office as failure to do so will attract severe sanction.
According to her; "the drugs were administered to the children in their various homes and the children had earlier attended various hospitals and clinics in their areas. It was when their conditions worsened that they came to the ABUTH Zaria either on referral or on their own.
It was in the course of our investigation in Zaria at 8:30 a.m. yesterday we received unconfirmed reports that a similar situation was being experienced in UCH and LUTH. NAFDAC, simultaneously, went to both hospitals within an hour. At both sites, our fears were confirmed.
"The affected batch of the medicine most of the patients in Kaduna used is Batch 02008, manufactured October 2008 and expiring November 2011," she said.
Akunyili who enjoined mothers to henceforth stop the use of "My Pikin" teething mixture and report any suspected case to the agency for appropriate action, said: "This is a public health emergency that requires the collective action, collaboration and cooperation of all health care providers, the media and general public in averting the looming danger facing millions of our innocent children and parents."
Akunyili announced that already, the agency has directed all NAFDAC officers nationwide to mop up all batches of the offending drug from circulation.
She appealed to all health institutions and organisation who are supposed to work in concert for the benefit of the Nigerian people to complement each other and not to allow competitiveness and rancour, destroy the nation's health system.
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