Another 'paracetamol victim' hospitalised

A four-year-old child was admitted to Shishu Hospital yesterday after she suffered an acute renal failure reportedly caused by Rid Pharma's paracetamol syrup.

Victim Iva was given paracetamol syrup 'Temset' after she had fever 10 days ago. A quack at Asadnagar in Brahmanpara Upazila of Comilla prescribed the syrup.

The use of the 'Temset' indicates that the Rid's drugs were still reigning over the market, especially in the rural areas, even after the government's order to take the drug off shelves.

Two children from Brahmanpara died of renal failure in last two months.

A good number of paracetamol victims came from Comilla.

On August 17, two and a half-year-old Cynthia died of renal failure prompting a Brahmanbaria court to issue arrest warrant against five officials of Rid Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

Brahmanbaria District and Sessions Judge AFM Mustafa issued the arrest warrant against Rid's Managing Director Mizanur Rahman, directors Sheuli Rahman and Abdul Gani, and pharmacists Mahbubul Islam and Enamul Haque.

As many as 27 children died of renal failure after taking Rid Pharma's toxic syrup in July and August in two hospitals in Dhaka and another at her Rangpur residence prompting the government to seal the company's factory on July 22.

Later an official probe on July 29 found presence of toxic compound in Rid's syrup.

Abdul Khayer Chowdhury, assistant director of Bangladesh Drug Administration of Comilla zone, filed a case with Brahmanbaria Court accusing five officials of Rid Pharma on August 11. Four other cases were filed in Dhaka, Sylhet, Comilla and Narayanganj.

In his plea Abdul Khayer informed the court that Paracetamol Syrup of Rid Pharma Ltd has caused death of so many children across the country and the company's all 12 items including vitamin syrups are of low quality.

The items are: Ridaplex (vitamin B-complex syrup), Temset (paracetamol suspension), T-zinc (zinc sulphate syrup), Bromosol (bromohaxin syrup), Resectil 20 (omiprazol capsule), Citapen Cafil (paracetamol tablet), Ridocin (ciprofloxacin tablet), Doxipac (doxicilin capsule), Ridzol (metronidazol tablet), Thouridec (fheofilin tablet), Banaltab DS (albendrazol tablet), and Ridaplex (vitamin B-complex capsule).

Rid Pharmaceutical Limited was established on July 07, 2006 at Nandanpur BSCIC Industrial Estate in Brahmanbaria.

In 1992, at least 339 children died taking toxic paracetamol syrup. The then government cancelled registrations of five pharmaceutical companies in this regard.

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