Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has constituted a Provincial Task Force for control and elimination of spurious drugs from the province. Parliamentary Secretary on Health Kh Imran Nazir will be the convenor of the task force.
The other members of the task force included Additional Chief Secretary, Members of Punjab Assembly, Senior Police officers, Secretary Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department, Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare, Secretary Prosecution Department. ,Additional IG Special Branch, Chief Drug Inspector, DG PAFDA, DG Health Services Punjab, Secretary PQCB, Concerned Commissioners, RPOs, DCOs, CCPOs and chairman PITB. Parliamentary Secretary Health and Convenor of the Provincial Task Force for the Elimination of Spurious Drugs, Kh Imram Nazir said that the task force will review overall situation in the province and check expired drugs in market as well as stores of government hospitals. The task force will ensure that the life saving drugs can only be sold on the prescription of a qualified doctor in open market.
He further said that medicines would only be sold at medical stores and pharmacies and not on the grocery stores. Moreover, the task force will review the existing drug laws/rules and propose necessary amendments to combat the menace of manufacture/sale of spurious, sub standard drugs. He said that performance of drug inspectors would also be monitored from the plate form of the task force. Inspection and screening of the existing pharmaceutical units and medical stores, itself and through its sub committees would be done and appropriate action would be taken against those working in violation of the Drug Act/laws/rules.
The task force will also examine the issue of quackery and suggest measures including further legislation to control this menace. He said that action will be taken against unauthorised, unprofessional, unethical advertisements being and without following prescribed procedure by quacks, Unani, Ayurvedic medicines manufactures etc.
The provincial Task Force for elimination of spurious drugs will also review and recommend the criteria and licensing procedure for Drugs/medical stores with the view to curb their mushroom proliferation, he concluded.