PUBLIC WARNED: STOP USING RECALLED BENYLIN IMMEDIATELY

MBABANE – Since Eswatini is among the countries that received the Benylin Paediatric Syrup, which is said to contain a dangerous chemical, the public has been advised to stop using it immediately.

According to reports, the syrup contains diethylene glycol, a poisonous chemical, which is not good for consumption.  Diethylene glycol is toxic to humans when consumed and can be fatal. Toxic effects include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, headaches, altered mental state and acute kidney injury, which may lead to death. The Ministry of Health reported that 144 units of Benylin Paediatric Syrup, with batch numbers 329304 and 329303 were brought into the country. In a press statement, the Minister of Health, Mduduzi Matsebula, said the ministry had been alerted about the recall of two batches of the Benylin Paediatric Syrup manufactured by South African manufacturer, Kenvue (formerly Johnson and Johnson).

Recall

This recall has been instituted by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and other national regulatory authorities in Africa. The two batches have been found to have high levels of diethylene glycol. The affected batch numbers, 329304 and 329303, were manufactured in May 2021 and will expire in April 2024. Benylin Paediatric Syrup is a clear, bright red syrup, which has a fruity raspberry odour and taste. It is packed in amber glass bottles containing 100ml with a plastic measuring cup. It is for relieving cough and congestive symptoms and for the treatment of hay fever and other allergic conditions affecting the upper respiratory tract. The minister stated that following engagements with the manufacturer, and in the best interest of the public, SAHPRA resolved that affected batches would immediately be recalled, while investigations were ongoing.

“The Ministry of Health has been notified by SAHPRA that 144 units of the batch 329303 were distributed to Eswatini on June 15, 2021, to the private market. This product is not available in government facilities. The ministry is, therefore, currently communicating with private facilities to ascertain the level of distribution of these units,” said Matsebula. In addition, Matsebula said the ministry was also preparing the necessary and appropriate communication for discontinuing the prescribing and use of the affected batch of the product and the necessary recall of this batch that may still be on the market in Eswatini.  

He advised members of the public to check the batch numbers of any Benylin syrups for children and if any of the mentioned batch numbers were found, to discontinue the use of the syrup immediately. If ingested and experiencing symptoms, Matsebula said the affected individual should report to the nearest health facility for medical attention. Furthermore, he advised members of the public to return any identified syrup to the facility that dispensed it and also call the Medicines Regulatory Unit of the Ministry of Health on WhatsApp number 7655 7303.  He said the ministry would keep the public informed of any developments in this regard.

Earlier on the day, Nomsa Shongwe, the Acting Pharmaceuticals speaking on national radio, said every country had a medicine regulatory authority, looking at how safe any manufactured drug was to members of the public. Shongwe said after the alert, they discovered that Eswatini was among the countries that received the affected batches. “We can confirm, starting from South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, that 144 units were brought into the country by June 2021,” she said. She said investigations were currently ongoing to find out how far had such medication been distributed from one place to another. She cautioned members of the public in possession of the syrup to stop using it. Shongwe was further questioned on what the ministry was doing to ensure that the affected batches were removed from pharmacies and health facilities. In response, She said the ministry took the first step of identifying the company which brought the medication into the country.

Pharmacies

She said after establishing that, it would be much easier to trace all the retail pharmacies that received the Benylin Paediatric Syrup for easy recalling.  “At the moment, we are looking at how Benylin Paediatric Syrup was distributed from the day it was brought into the country,” she explained. According to a stop press bulletin by eNCA two days ago, SAHPRA recalled two batches of Benylin Paediatric Syrup. eNCA reported that the SAHPRA received a health report from a Nigerian regulator after levels of diethylene glycol were detected in the aforementioned batches of the syrup. It was reported that investigations between SAHPRA and Kenvue, found that the effect batches had been distributed to Eswatini, South Africa (SA), Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria. The news channel further urged members of the public to monitor any symptoms when consuming Benylin.

The symptoms include:
* Headache
* Abdominal pain
* Vomiting   
* Diarrhoea

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