Hello reader,
You might remember the heartbreaking news back in 2022 and 2023 of toxic Indian-made cough syrups killing more than a hundred children in The Gambia, Uzbekistan and Cameroon. The ensuing scandal focused on the failures of India’s drug regulatory system, but the absence of accountability on the part of global health authorities as well – in particular, the World Health Organisation – largely escaped attention.
This month Himal is asking the tough questions that still hang over the cough-syrup deaths, with a hard-hitting investigative series that spans Southasia and the globe.
In the first story of “Pills, Perils, Profits” – our virtual cover for March 2025 – Vidya Krishnan and Arshu John take us to The Gambia, where the parents of the children who died continue their fight for justice. From there they unravel the shocking disparities in drug regulation for the world’s rich and poor as India continues to export dangerous medications to vulnerable countries and the WHO fails to protect them.
The series continues in the coming weeks with two more in-depth longform pieces – the first on the massive and continuing failures of India’s drug regulatory system, which has resisted serious reform even after the cough-syrup deaths; and the second on how Bangladesh’s pharma industry succeeded against all odds, standing up to global Big Pharma and offering salutary lessons for India as well as the rest of Southasia, and for the wider world. Keep an eye on the series page, and watch out for Himal’s newsletters, to read the upcoming stories as soon as they’re out.
It takes exhaustive – and exhausting! – reporting and editing to bring you a series of this depth and scope. Himal believes in high-quality, high-impact independent journalism for Southasia, and I know you do too. The future of our work depends on readers like you choosing to support us by becoming a paying Himal Patron.
Click the button above to become a Himal Patron for just USD 5 per month and help make Himal’s next big story a reality. Himal works with an editorial staff of just six people to put out all the great investigations, reviews, newsletters, podcasts and more that we bring to you, and I’ll be honest – we’re stretched thin! We’re counting on you to help keep Himal going and growing.
I’ll be back in your inbox next month with another terrific Himal story and another virtual cover. Until then, Ramzan/Ramadan mubarak!
All best,
Roman
Southasia Mixtape
This month’s music recommendation comes from the mountains of Balochistan, home to the benjo maestro Ustad Noor Baksh. The benjo, a keyed zither, is a staple of Balochi music, and in Noor Baksh’s hands it sings and soars with astonishing style. This is a beautiful clip of him playing one of his own compositions, ‘Tor Sor’, and there’s more of his music here if you want to go deeper in.
One good music recommendation deserves another. Send me your current favourites here.