Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Ministry of Health through Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority has withdrawn Gentamicine drugs from all Public health facilities.
Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya says ZAMRA received 32 suspected adverse drug reaction reports from January 2019 and Gentamicine injection was found among the suspected batches.
Giving a ministerial statement in parliament, Dr Chilufya says a precautionary measure, the ministry through ZAMRA quarantined stocks of Gentamicine medicine that were still in medical stores and recalled all stocks already distributed.
He says the health facilities which had the reaction report are Levy Mwanawasa Teaching Hospital which had six reports, Kabwe Central Hospital seven, Choma general hospital 10, Livingstone central hospital 7,with Chipata central hospital and Mumbwa district hospital recording one each.
Dr Chilufya says the common complaints were headache, dizziness, heart palpitations and vomiting after administration of the drug.
He however, states that no deaths have been recorded, and that no cases have been recorded from March 15, 2019.
Dr Chilufya says the drug was imported from a company based in China known as CSPC and a company based in Kenya.