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AHIC – 14^th March 2009 -The government has issued a press statement aimed at reassuring the general public on the safety of cough syrups after two leading hospitals in the country withdrew them from their pharmacies. The Aga Khan University hospital and Getrudes Children Hospital withdrew the cough syrups from their pharmacies for children aged below 12 years citing previous scientific findings that questioned the effectiveness and safety of cough and cold medicine in children below the age of 12 years.

In a press release, the government pointed out that the syrups are neither poisonous nor dangerous when taken as recommended. The Pharmacy and Poisons Board further emphasized that cough and cold medicine should not be used in children below the age of 2 years. For children below 6 years, it is recommended that the syrups be used under prescription only.

Earlier in the week, the Medical Services Permanent Secretary, Prof. James Kiyiapi had accused the Pharmacy and Poisons Board for failing to order the withdrawal of paediatric cough medicine from hospitals and dispensing chemists after scientists reported that cough syrups could be ineffective and in some cases toxic to children.

Prof. Kiyiapi hit at the members of the board accusing them of “sleeping on the job” by failing to be proactive in ensuring immediate withdrawal of cough syrups.

At the Kenyatta National Hospital, cough syrups were withdrawn from the pharmacy four years ago.

The statement by the government is a sigh of relief for majority of the pharmacists who feared a directive by the government to withdraw cough syrups from their shelves would have meant heavy losses as most of them stock different brands of cough syrups.

Given the sensitivity of the issue, it is bound to continue eliciting different reactions from the public and medical fraternity.

The high cost of health care in the country has been forcing most of the patients to purchase medicine, cough syrups included, directly from chemists without seeing the doctor first in a bid to save on doctors’ fees and laboratory tests. This trend if allowed might lead to the development of drug resistance and misdiagnosis, which in some cases might prove, fatal.

With the issuance of this directive by the government, the public still needs to be sensitized on the dangers of giving cough syrups to children below the stipulated age. Doctors, Pharmacists, Clinicians and Nurses should keep abreast with the latest developments in the medical field to ensure that they deliver quality services .The medical board should ensure timely policies are enforced in liaison with international regulatory authorities and organizations.