Africa’s Struggle with Substandard Medicines

### Quick Summary
– Between July and October 2023, approximately 70 Gambian children under the age of 5 died after consuming cough syrup containing high levels of toxic substances ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol.
– These deaths highlight critical issues related to medicines that do not meet required quality specifications and standards.

### Indian Opinion Analysis
India’s pharmaceutical industry is one of the largest globally, earning a reputation for producing affordable medicine for developing countries, including nations like Gambia. However, incidents involving non-compliance wiht safety standards can substantially impact trust in India’s exports and its standing as a reliable supplier in global healthcare markets. This tragedy underscores the necessity for stringent enforcement of manufacturing regulations and deeper oversight mechanisms within India’s pharmaceutical sector to ensure medication safety both domestically and internationally.

Such lapses could have broader implications-ranging from reputational damage to trade barriers-requiring policymakers and industry stakeholders to collaborate on fostering clarity, accountability, and robust quality control frameworks urgently.

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