GAMBIA – The government of India is holding meetings in Africa to ensure its drug exports do not suffer after Indian-made cough syrups were linked to deaths in Gambia and Uzbekistan.

India’s drug industry is one of the biggest in the world, but its reputation has been shaken after tests conducted by the World Health Organization and other agencies showed toxins in the cough syrups.

The tainted products were linked to the deaths of 70 children in Gambia and 19 in Uzbekistan last year.

“Indian Missions abroad are having regular interactions with the authorities to retain the confidence within the drug regulatory agencies,” Anupriya Patel the deputy trade and industry minister said.

“To build confidence and also to ensure continuity of the trade, Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India has led business delegations to African and Commonwealth of Independent States countries and had one-to-one discussions with drug regulating agencies and pharma trade associations assuring them of the quality of Indian generic products.”

The export council is also conducting workshops and training programs with Indian exporters on “quality management and to apprise them of the international standards and their compliance,” she said.

India is the world’s largest supplier of generic medicines with a 20 percent share by volume. More than 3,000 pharmaceutical companies make their products in the country through a network of more than 10,500 manufacturing plants.

Between 2014 and 2022, India’s pharmaceutical exports more than doubled to US$24.6 billion, according to government data.

India has pushed back against allegations that cough syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals contained toxins and killed the children in Gambia, disputing findings of the WHO.

Indian police, however, have arrested three employees of another company, Marion Biotech, whose cough syrups sold to

Last year the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) cautioned Maiden Pharmaceuticals of suspension of its certificate that validates it as an exporter authorized by the Indian government.

The suspension meant that the company’s exports will become ineligible for incentives under the Market Access Initiative Scheme.

The suspension came after the council warned the firm of suspension of its authorization certificate if it failed to share details of its licensees and importers with Pharmexcil by October 7.

Shortly after that, Indonesia banned the cough syrup.

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