Gambia police have named US-based Atlantic Pharmaceuticals Company as the firm that imported the deadly India-made cough syrup to the country.

Its preliminary findings revealed that the firm ordered 50,000 bottles of the contaminated cough syrup from India-based Maiden Pharmaceutical Company.

“It was established that Atlantic Pharmaceuticals Company was granted permission to import medicines and medical-related products in The Gambia. 

“Investigations so far revealed that Atlantic Pharmaceuticals Company Limited ordered a quantity of 15, 000 bottles of makoff baby cough syrups of 100ml, 15, 000 bottles of magrip and cold syrups of 100ml, 10, 000 bottles of promethazine baby syrups of 100ml and 10, 000 kofexmalin baby cough syrups of 125ml.

“Thus, amounting to a combined total of 50, 000 bottles of contaminated baby syrups, police said in their investigation.

“The deaths of these children are associated with four contaminated Indian-made baby syrups bearing the names Lakoff baby cough, maghrib, and cold, promethazine syrup, and kofexmalin baby cough syrups imported in the Gambia by Atlantic Pharmaceuticals Company Limited.

“It is established that from the aforesaid sum of 50, 000 bottles of contaminated baby syrups, 41, 462 bottles have been quarantined/seized by MCA, and 8, 538 bottles remained unaccounted for,” the police added.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba