28-12-2023 (JAKARTA) hundreds of children, including Sheena Almaera Maryam, from Gambia to Uzbekistan, have fallen victim to contaminated medicinal syrups, leading to one of the largest incidents of such contamination on record. The crisis has resulted in criminal probes, lawsuits, and increased regulatory scrutiny in multiple countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) and national authorities have identified over 200 cases of Acute Kidney Injury in Indonesia alone, making it the worst-affected country.
Sheena, a five-year-old from Jakarta, faced severe health repercussions after consuming toxic syrup prescribed for her fever in September 2022. The syrup, manufactured by Indonesian drug makers, contained ethylene glycol (EG), a harmful chemical found in products like brake fluid. International standards dictate a safe limit of 0.1% EG, but the contaminated syrup’s concentration reached as high as 99%, according to court documents.
The WHO issued warnings on November 2, 2022, identifying dangerous levels of EG in products from companies such as Afi Farma, one of the implicated drug makers. Afi Farma, along with its raw material suppliers, CV Samudera Chemical and CV Anugerah Perdana Gemilang, faced legal action. In November, officials, including Afi Farma’s Chief Executive Arief Prasetya Harahap, were convicted of violating pharmaceutical production laws, with sentences ranging from two to ten years.
Survivors like Sheena face debilitating disabilities, with some suffering irreversible damage to internal organs. The tragedy has prompted 32 families, including Sheena’s, to file lawsuits against Afi Farma, its suppliers, and relevant government agencies. They are seeking compensation of 3.4 billion rupiah ($219,000) for each deceased child and 2.2 billion rupiah ($142,000) for survivors.
Indonesia’s health ministry pledged compensation of 50 million rupiah ($3,200) for families who lost children and 60 million rupiah ($3,900) for survivors’ families. However, concerns arise as parents, including Sheena’s mother Desi, struggle with mounting medical bills, seeking redress through legal action.
Lawyer Siti Habiba, representing the families, highlighted the complexities surrounding responsibility for the poisonings. Despite eight mediation sessions ending in deadlock, the families remain determined to seek justice, asserting that both companies and the government bear responsibility.
As the affected families navigate the aftermath of this devastating incident, their pursuit of justice sheds light on the urgent need for strengthened regulatory measures and increased vigilance in the pharmaceutical industry to prevent such tragedies from recurring.
