Spurious, sub-standard medicines: Punjab government plans legislation to curb sale

With a view to regulate production and sale of all kind of medicines and curb trade of spurious, sub-standard medicines in the province of Punjab, the PML-N led government has planned to make necessary legislation. Before preparing the draft of the proposed law, government will also seek proposals from stakeholders, while the process in this connection will be started from Tuesday, sources in the Health Department told Business Recorder.
They informed that Secretary Health Punjab, Fawad Hassan Fawad has already convened a meeting of the representatives of Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) on Tuesday (November 23) to seek co-operation of association in curbing the nefarious trade of spurious and substandard medicines.
The health department is also going to set up a help-line to seek public co-operation for eliminating the menace of spurious drugs. Apart from this, committees will be formed at the district level with the co-operation of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), they added.
About the proposed legislation, Fawad said it would be carried out at the provincial level to regulate production and sale of all kind of medicines. He said directions have already been issued for preparing draft of the proposed law. Chairing a departmental meeting regarding elimination of production and sale of spurious, substandard and expired medicines, he directed EDOs (health) to hold a meeting with the office-bearers of chemist associations in their respective districts and take measures for elimination of substandard and spurious medicines.
He warned drug stockists to destroy substandard medicines on their own otherwise stern action would be taken against them. He directed DCOs to hold a meeting with drug inspectors of the respective districts and inform them about the 'action plan'. Issuing instructions to drug inspectors to ensure implementation of the plan immediately after Eid, secretary health warned that in case of sale of such medicines in any area, action would be taken against the concerned drug inspector.
Fawad also issued instructions for setting up monitoring committees at the regional and provincial levels to monitor efficiency of drug inspectors. He announced that he and special secretary health will visit various divisions to monitor performance of EDOs health and drug inspectors. He directed DCOs and EDOs Health to send confidential reports about the efficiency of drug inspectors.
Secretary health vowed that effective measures would be taken against the elements involved in trade of spurious and substandard medicines and no one will be allowed to play with the lives of innocent citizens.
During his surprise visit to Lahore General Hospital the other day, Punjab Chief Minister, Mian Shahbaz Sharif said government is providing funds of billions of rupees to state-run hospitals and unless patients are satisfied with the treatment facilities, he will not be satisfied with these hospitals. It may be noted that during his previous tenure as chief minister of the province, Shahbaz took stringent measures to eliminate the menace of spurious drugs.