Outreach and a breach

The death of 66 children in The Gambia is being attributed to Indian medicines. It does not augur well for India's strategic goals in Africa

- SANJIB KR BARUAH

FROM THE INDIAN perspective, Bangladesh and The Gambia may be worlds apart. But, there are a couple of commonalities between the western African country and India’s eastern neighbour. First is India’s diplomatic outreach. ‘Neighbourhood First’ is among a slew of Indian initiatives in Bangladesh; The Gambia is a beneficiary of India’s Africa outreach policy and largesse, particularly the ‘vaccine diplomacy’ thrust.

Then, there is the shared suffering inflicted by Indian-made cough syrups. Both the International Narcotics Control Board and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime have documented the damage done in Bangladesh by a codeine-laced cough syrup. Codeine is an opiate. So much so that the Indian government prohibited its sale within 25km of the international border. But, the blue plastic bottles continue to reach Bangladesh. A long, porous border with India took care of supply, while a religious code that insists on abstinence from alcohol contributed to the demand.

In The Gambia, Indian cough syrups have reportedly claimed the lives of 66 children from July to September. They were being treated for flulike symptoms and became unable to pass urine after taking the cough syrup. Doctors suspect that the syrup caused kidney failure. Local police is investigating the cause of the deaths, as are Indian authorities, but bewildered Gambians do not know where to look for succour or who to blame.