The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control in Nigeria has arrested 12 staff members of the Pharmaceutical company that manufactured the killer drug called “My Pikin” and some of its marketers.
Reports claim that the arrested people face 15 years in jail or a $3,500 (£2,441) fine. NAFDAC head Paul Orhii said the Agency would henceforth, prosecute people who manufactured dangerous products that hurt or kill Nigerians.
More than 5,000 bottles have been taken out of circulation by NAFDAC, but it is not known how many were made in the tainted batch, or how far the bottles had been distributed. However, authorities have again called on private pharmacies to turn over stocks to regulators.
The paracetamol-based syrup, was found to have been contaminated with diethylene glycol, used as an engine coolant and has killed 110 babies across Nigeria whose sore gums were treated with the syrup.
Some of the babies suffered kidneys failure. All of the deaths recorded occurred in November and December 2008, after the alarm was raised.
The arrests were made even though they had been no new cases of illness reported in the last month and people thought the Drug Agency had abandoned the case and the Nigerian mothers cry for justice.
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