The number of children who died from a contaminated baby medicine sold in Nigeria has increased to 84 from 34 in early December, the health ministry said.

 

“The poison has caused many deaths in children between the ages of 2 months and 7 years old in Nigeria. The death of any Nigeria child is a great loss to the nation,” Babatunde Osotimehin, Nigeria’s minister of health, said in a statement.

 

There have been reported 111 cases of children who have fallen sick after being given a medicine named My Pikin Baby Teething Mixture, a syrup for teething pain. The syrup was found to contain diethylene glycol, an industrial solvent and an ingredient in antifreeze and brake fluid.

 

The chemical causes kidney and liver damage. It also attacks the central nervous system, causing paralysis that hampers breathing. Symptoms of diethylene glycol exposure include abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting; dizziness, drowsiness, confusion and decreased or lack of production of urine.

 

Nigeria’s National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control has traced the diethylene glycol to an unlicensed chemical dealer in Lagos that sold the syrup to Barewa Pharmaceuticals, the maker of the teething medicine. Parents have already been advised to not treat their children with any type of teething syrup until the authorities find all the remaining stocks.

 

“Government will leave no stone unturned to find answers to the many questions being asked by Nigerians and also ensure that such unfortunate incidents do not occur again,” Osotimehin said.