Eight Witnesses Testify How Syrups Killed Their Children in AKI Legal Marathon

Bereaved parents of AKI Court Case © Askanwi

By Fatoumata Jaiteh

During the afternoon session of the continuation of cross-examination of witnesses on the Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) trial, held on Thursday, 23rd January 2025, counsel for Maiden Pharmaceuticals, Lawyer Sheriff Marie Tambadou, asked some of the prosecution's witnesses if they knew that the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) and the Ministry of Health (MoH) do not manufacture drugs.

Reacting to the question, one of the witnesses, Abdoulie Bah, stated, "I know that MCA and the Ministry of Health do not manufacture drugs, but they are the ones responsible for overseeing the issuance of drugs that enter the country.” He added, "If MCA and MoH don’t manufacture drugs, then let them bring the manufacturer to come and answer our questions."

Some 27 bereaved parents of children who lost their children after consuming tainted medicines filed a lawsuit against the MoH, MCA, the Attorney General, and two pharmaceutical companies back in July 2023 seeking redress.

According to the AKI Task Force Report established by the Office of the President, “the death of the seventy children below the age of five, between July and October 2022 related to Acute Kidney Injury, is as a direct result of contaminated medicines found in four cough and cold syrups imported by Atlantic Pharmacy from Maiden Pharmaceuticals Company Limited in India.”

Witnesses cross-examined in the box testified that the deaths occurred after their children ingested paracetamol syrups manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceutical, which caused health complications affecting their children’s ability to urinate.

When asked by Counsel Tambadou how they knew it was the paracetamol syrup that had killed their children because other drugs were administered to the children in addition to the paracetamol syrups, witnesses responded that they came to know it was the paracetamol syrup that killed their children after several other parents attested to giving the same syrup to their children, leading to their deaths.

Tumani Jatta, father to now-deceased Banna Jatta, stated that his daughter was diagnosed with pneumonia. When he took her to the Kanifing General Hospital, they prescribed a paracetamol syrup and two other syrups, which he bought. Instead of seeing improvements, he noted that soon after his child took the syrup, "her illness got worse, and she was later admitted to the Kanifing General Hospital, where the doctors had to fix tubes in the child's abdomen to help her pass urine." According to Mr. Jatta, he was informed that “all her two kidneys had been damaged." The defence team then asked if he knew that paracetamol syrup does not cure pneumonia; however, the witness maintained, "That's what the doctors prescribed for me."

Other witnesses also shared similar testimonies of being prescribed paracetamol syrups for their sick children by doctors. Kodou Njie of Brikama Jalambang, mother to now-deceased Babucarr Njie, also stated during her cross-examination that when her child started developing a fever, she quickly took him to the Brikama General Hospital, where she was prescribed paracetamol syrup and two other syrups, including cough syrup. She added that after "the child started taking the syrups, he began developing complications" that led to his death.

According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report issued in July 2022, the Gambia’s Ministry of Health was alerted to a spike in cases of acute kidney injury among children. Acute kidney injury is a sudden and rapid deterioration of kidney function, leading to a buildup of waste products in the blood and disruptions in fluid balance.

Based on the report, AKI, if not promptly treated, can exacerbate illness and, in severe cases, contribute to increased morbidity and mortality. From July to September 2022, there were 78 reported cases with 66 confirmed deaths (85% mortality rate).

After heated questions and answers from the defence lawyers and the prosecution's witnesses, the presiding judge, Justice Ebrima Jaiteh, adjourned the case for the next hearing on 30th January 2025, where about 15 other witnesses are scheduled to appear for the continuation of cross-examination by the defence team in the AKI trial.