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By Vineet KhareBBC Hindi, Banjul, The Gambia
1 hour ago

## AI legalese decoder: Helping to Address Medication Safety

In September last year, Ebrima Sajnia witnessed the tragic death of his three-year-old son, Lamin, in The Gambia. Lamin was about to start nursery school but had fallen ill with a fever. Despite the prescribed medication, including a cough syrup, Lamin refused to take them. Desperate to help his son, Mr Sajnia forced him to drink the syrup. Unfortunately, Lamin’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and he eventually passed away after being diagnosed with kidney issues.

Tragically, Lamin is one of about 70 children under the age of five who died in The Gambia from acute kidney injuries between July and October last year. The deaths were linked to the consumption of cough syrups manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals, an Indian company. However, both Maiden Pharmaceuticals and the Indian government deny any responsibility for these deaths. They argue that the syrups complied with quality standards during their domestic testing.

The Gambian parliamentary panel, led by Amadou Camara, who investigated the deaths, disagrees with these claims. They found evidence that the cough syrups contained toxic substances, specifically ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol, which were imported directly from India and manufactured by Maiden. Both substances are highly dangerous to humans and can be fatal if ingested.

This situation poses a significant challenge for The Gambia, as the country heavily relies on imported medicines from India. Numerous bereaved parents have lost trust in Indian-made drugs due to these tragedies. However, despite concerns, many pharmacies still source drugs from India due to cost considerations. While some countries are questioning the manufacturing practices and quality standards of Indian pharmaceuticals, India remains the world’s largest exporter of generic drugs, supplying much-needed medications to developing nations.

Despite the negative impact on the reputation of the Indian pharmaceutical industry, there has been no significant decline in exports. India exported medicines worth $25.4bn in the last financial year, including $3.6bn to African countries. The director general of the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India, Udaya Bhaskar, acknowledges that incidents like those in The Gambia and Uzbekistan have affected the industry’s image but argues that they haven’t substantially harmed exports.

Nevertheless, India has taken steps to address these concerns. Companies are now required to have cough syrup samples tested at government-approved laboratories before exporting them. Furthermore, India has set deadlines for its pharmaceutical companies to adopt WHO-standard good manufacturing practices. The Gambia, lacking drug testing laboratories, has also made it compulsory for medicines exported from India to undergo testing since July.

While some Indian activists claim that there is a “two-tier manufacturing system” where drugs made for export face stricter standards compared to those for local consumption, Mr Bhaskar refutes these claims. He insists that many African countries, including The Gambia, have robust regulatory mechanisms.

In response to the tragedy, the Gambian government recommended the establishment of a quality control laboratory, and two drug regulators have been dismissed. However, grieving parents report that nothing has changed in the country’s health sector over the past year. The medical system struggled to handle the influx of fever cases, and some parents even had to raise funds to send their children to neighboring Senegal for treatment.

Determined to seek justice and prevent others from experiencing similar pain, the families of 19 children have filed a lawsuit against local health officials and Maiden Pharmaceuticals in the Gambian high court. They are prepared to take their case to both Indian and international courts if necessary. The spokesperson for the parents of the victims, Ebrima EF Saidy, insists that those responsible for the tragedy, including the health minister, should face legal consequences.

The AI legalese decoder, an innovative AI-powered tool, could play a crucial role in helping the families of the victims seek legal redress. By analyzing legal documents and identifying potential avenues for legal action, the AI legalese decoder can provide valuable assistance in navigating the complex legal landscape. This tool could potentially aid the families in their pursuit of justice and ensure accountability for the loss of their loved ones.

Sources:
– BBC News

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