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| Momodou |
Posted - 26 Oct 2022 : 17:59:11
Deputies to debate deaths of 70 children today
The Point: Oct 26, 2022
By: Momodou Jawo
https://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/headlines/deputies-to-debate-deaths-of-70-children-today
Gambian lawmakers will today Wednesday 26 October convene a Third Extra-Ordinary Session in the 2022 Legislature Year to discuss the deaths of more than 69 innocent children who died as a result of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI).
Last month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said the deaths of the children in The Gambia may be linked to four contaminated cough and cold syrups made by Maiden Pharmaceuticals, an Indian drug manufacturer.
The deaths of the children have caused public outcry in the country and beyond with many calling for the resignation of the health minister, the dissolution of the country’s Medicines Control Agency (MCA) and Pharmacy Council among others.
Victims of the AKI have called on the government to ensure that those responsible for the death of their children are held accountable and prosecuted. The Gambia Police Force (GPF) has since launched an investigation into the matter. Many are hoping that at the end of their investigation, those responsible will be held to account.
It would be recalled that during a press conference held early this month and organised by “Justice for the 66+Women Movement”, parents who lost their children as a result of the AKI narrated how their children died.
Ebrima Sanyang, who lost his son, said: “I always wanted my son to become a responsible person in the future, who will contribute immensely towards nation building. However, his life was cut short due to the negligence of those who were supposed to protect him. He died as a result of the Acute Kidney Injury. This is so painful. My son was so close to me.
“Guns will not enter the country without the authorities checking them. Therefore, this should not also happen in the health sector. This is not about politics. It happens to me and it could happen to any other person tomorrow. No nation can develop in the absence of good health.”
Ebrima Saidy, who also lost one of his twins due to the AKI, said in tears: “Negligence from the government caused the death of the children. It’s like they don’t care about us. I bought medications at the pharmacy and when my kid drank them, her condition started deteriorating. What is more painful at the moment is the fact that her other twin sister keeps asking us about the whereabouts of her sister. The only thing we use to tell her is that her sister travels. This is so painful.”
Wuri Bailo Keita, said: My daughter Fatoumatta Keita, who was two years and three months of age, was only sick for one day. I took her to the pharmacy and we were also given paracetamol syrup. When her condition started to change, we went to the EFSTH. She was also operated on. It’s now time for us to get up and help each other.”
Related Topic: Substandard (contaminated) paediatric medicines |
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| Momodou |
Posted - 28 Oct 2022 : 10:48:50
DEFIANT TOUMA ASKED OUT AFTER STANDOFF WITH SPEAKER
The Standard: October 27, 2022697
By Omar Bah
https://standard.gm/defiant-touma-asked-out-after-standoff-with-speaker/
A chaotic start to yesterday’s extra ordinary session of the National Assembly on the mass death of children from taking contaminated medicine saw the member for Banjul South Fatoumatta Njai asked out and the Speaker locked in heated argument with opposition members. Hon Njai was sent out after she refused to withdraw her statement calling a claim by the Deputy Speaker, Seedy Njie, a “lie”.
Honourable Njai had attacked the Majority Leader for hypocrisy after he seconded the motion on the extraordinary session despite allegedly refusing to sign the request for the Speaker to call the session. She said: “I will applaud the minority side of the Assembly because they made this setting possible today. However, I was disappointed to see the Majority Leader raising his tag to second a motion that he was reluctant to sign for this meeting be convened on this matter that affected our children. And now he wanted to show the world that he cares by seconding the motion. Honourable Speaker, I am ashamed because this is a matter of interest to the public and we should demonstrate to our people that we care.”
She however commended the Ministry of Health for acting very quickly to identify the causes and recalling all the medicines associated with it.
Defending the Majority Leader, the Deputy Speaker Seedy Njie said: “Honourable Speaker, I want to say from the beginning that the Majority Leader and member for Kantora was never presented with this motion to sign; rather, it was a paper that was presented for him to sign to call for this Extraordinary Session. That needs to be made clear. The whole process of the AKI issue was politicised.”
At that juncture, a seemingly unhappy Touma Njai raised a point of order to say that the Deputy Speaker has not spoken the truth. “Honourable Speaker, the honourable just stood up to tell us something that is not true. That is a lie,” Njai said.
Even as the Speaker tried to bring her to order, Honourable Njai insisted that the Deputy Speaker was lying.
The Speaker then asked her to withdraw her statement but she refused: “Honourable Speaker, if a truth is said I will say it’s the truth but if a lie is said, I will say it’s a lie. I may be asked to leave the chambers but I will not withdraw.”
At that point, the Speaker asked her to leave the Assembly arguing” “We want sanity in this institution and respect for each other. We are bound to have divergent opinions and we should all respect that. We don’t want statements like that here,” the Speaker said.
At that juncture, the NAM for Foni Bintang raised a point of order against the Speaker who was quick to advise her to read the roles of the National Assembly because he (Speaker) cannot be observed.
The NAM for Busumbala also intervened to say the sitting should continue and that the Speaker should stop making remarks on members just like that.
The Speaker then asked him to come and take his place.
“I will not come and sit there,” the Busumbala NAM insisted.
The Speaker further argued that the MP should know better and limit himself to his seat and leave him alone. |
| Momodou |
Posted - 28 Oct 2022 : 09:27:27
Ignorance or disconnected with the reality?
By Omar Wally
The parents are mourning the deaths of their children. Families are in sorrow. Red Cross is busy recalling the drugs. Police are questioning suspects. National Assembly held extra-ordinary session and tasked the Health Committee to investigate the deaths. Civil society is calling for justice. Thousands of syrups are still uncollected. Gambians are asking why no one has been held accountable.
Even those who resisted Kim Jong-Un’s rule know this is a difficult moment for Gambia. But saddest part about this country is those who are entrusted with responsibility often behave like yesterday child. So, telling Gambians to apologize to health authorities is the biggest insult to Gambians especially those who lost their loved ones.
Whatever the outcome of the investigation into death of the 70 children, this will forever be a national tragedy. Most of the parents whose kids perished are not hopeful of getting Justice. And even if there is justice, it might be slap on the wrist.
In such difficult situations especially when lawmakers are discussing to avert future occurrence of a similar tragedy, we should exhibit seriousness. The conduct of some officials have shown that their family members were not affected that is why they did not feel the pain and suffering of these parents.
But let me remind you long as you are alive, anything can happen to you or your family. We saw able man and women who ends up in wheelchairs. Whether that is ordained by God or not is debate for another day.
Even though you are a late bloomer as a politician! But as a parent and someone with such high position in government, you conducted yourself like THE THREE MONEYS; despite President Barrow saying the deaths of the children was a national tragedy.
If you can’t join the calls to hold those responsible for the tragedy, do us a favor and remain quiet. You should be the one who should apologize to the Gambians. You made history during the 2016 month-long political impasse by refusing to accept that former president Yahya Jammeh has lost to Barrow.
Your behavior led thousands of people to flee this country and in the process some lost their lives. Indeed, politics makes strange bedfellows but that should not warrant you to insult Gambians.
Posterity will judge you! Your public stars are already down. Try and clean your poor image! |
| Momodou |
Posted - 27 Oct 2022 : 13:47:46
Red Cross deploys 700 personnel to collect AKI syrups
The Point: Oct 27. 2022
By: Cherno Omar Bobb
https://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/headlines/red-cross-deploys-700-personnel-to-collect-aki-syrups
The Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) deployed 700 personnel to conduct house-to-house collection of syrups across the country.
The collection was carried out in West Coast Region, Kanifing Municipality, Banjul, Central River, North Bank and Lower River Regions. The collection concluded yesterday, Wednesday.
The Gambia launched an urgent door-to-door campaign to remove cough and cold syrups blamed for the deaths of more than 69 children from kidney injury in the country.
The U.N.'s World Health Organisation also issued an alarm in response to the deaths, saying it had been working with Gambia's Government to investigate the cause of the cases and deaths since August.
The World Health Organisation also issued a medical product alert for four contaminated medicines identified in The Gambia that have been potentially linked to acute kidney injuries and 66 deaths among children.
The Gambia Medical Research Council has also issued an alarm.
The four medicines are cough and cold syrups produced by Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited in India.
The National Assembly yesterday gave greenlight to its Select Committee on Health to investigate the deaths of the 70 children due to Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) linked to the consumption of medicines from Maiden Pharmaceuticals Company in India. |
| Momodou |
Posted - 27 Oct 2022 : 13:45:56
Samateh: Gambian has been assaulted
Oct 27, 2022,
The Point: By: Jankey Ceesay
https://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/headlines/samateh-gambian-has-been-assaulted
The minister of Health says he believes that the country has been assaulted following the deaths of 70 children as National Assembly gave greenlight to its Select Committee on Health to investigate the matter.
“Distinguished Honourable Speaker and National Assembly Members, I believe that our country has been assaulted. This is an aggression against our people from greedy, unscrupulous people,” he said.
“The manufacturing, the importation and distribution of contaminated drugs is criminal and the government sees it that way. However, due diligence needs to be carried out to get to the root cause of this matter.”
At least 70 out 82 children who were diagnosed with Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) have died with a link to the consumption of medicines from Maiden Pharmaceuticals Company in India.
Alagie S. Darbo, the minority leader and lawmaker for Brikama North Constituency, after the Assembly’s minute silence on the deaths of 70 children, tabled the Motion to allow legislators debate on the matter in the Third Extraordinary Session Legislative Year 2022 on AKI Health Emergency for the Select Committee on Health to launch an investigation in order to hold those responsible accountable.
The National Assembly Health committee is expected to investigate and report by 30 November 2022.
According to Hon. Darbo, the National Assembly Select Committee on Health will "investigate the root cause (s) of the deaths of 70 children in the country and also the effectiveness of the current measures being undertaken by the Ministry of Health to address the AKI cases and contaminated medical drugs" among others.
"Wonders shall never end in this country if we fail to take responsibility," former majority leader and Member for Kombo South Kebba K. Barrow said. "People must take responsibility. People must take responsibility for their deeds."
"The NCA, the Health Ministry and the Pharmaceutical Council should take responsibility." |
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