The parents of Jalika Gitteh, a 2-year-old toddler who died after being given an India-made contaminated cough syrup, have spoken of their grief and loss.

Little Jalika passed away last month after battling a deadly acute kidney injury caused by the contaminated syrup. 

She is among 69 children in the Gambia who died from this tragedy, the country’s worst medical negligence case. 

Jalika Gitteh’s father Alim Gitteh told Gambiana that her daughter started experiencing complications after taking syrup that was prescribed by doctors.

“She started vomitting when she drank the syrup we were given by the pharmacy health worker.

“But after giving the child this syrup, my wife told me that the child stopped urinating.”

“They gave us this syrup and because we are not health workers, we can only abide by what they told us,” the grieving father added.

The tragedy has caused outcry both within and outside The Gambia.

President Adama Barrow has promised that his government will “leave no stone unturned in getting to bottom of the matter”. 

Gambia police have launched an investigation into the scandal which saw officials from the Medical Control Agency and the importer called for questioning.

WHO has already issued a global alert on the four India-made contaminated syrups: Promethazine Oral Solution BP, Kofexnalin Baby Cough Syrup, MaKoff Baby Cough Syrup And MaGrip n Cold Syrup, were only exported to Gambia. 

It warned that they contained high doses of Diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol and their use may result in serious injury or death, especially among children. 

Reporting by Adama Makasuba