By Omar Bah
The Gambia Government has announced the formation of a commission of inquiry to investigate the death of 70 children reportedly of kidney failure after taking contaminated medicine imported from India.
The announcement followed an emergency meeting called by the president over the crisis that has caused a national outcry last week.
The meeting decided on setting up a broad-based Commission of Inquiry whose terms and composition will be gazetted shortly.
According to a fresh statement from government released over the weekend, the president has said the outbreak is a challenging time for it and the Gambian people and called on all to close ranks and work together to confront the crisis.
Barrow was also quoted as saying that his government is committed to unearth the detail of the case as the children died as a result of unusual circumstances.
However, the opposition United Democratic Party leader Ousainou Darboe has played down the significance of the government’s decision to set up a Commission of Inquiry to probe the crisis.
“How can you congratulate people and at the same set up a Commission of Inquiry against them,” he asked at a UDP rally in Jambur.
