Says it will help end food adulteration, collusion between drug mafia and corrupt elements
LAHORE
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated the first international standard model drug testing laboratory of the country, here Monday. He also visited the laboratory and inspected its various sections.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, the chief minister announced establishing Punjab Forensic Food & Drug Testing Agency and said that it would help to eliminate substandard and adulterated food besides spurious drugs and agriculture medicines and spray. He said that laws would be formulated for this purpose immediately.
He said that this agency would work as a totally independent and autonomous institution and would be free of all kind of interference. He said that with the inauguration of the model drug testing laboratory, the foundation of a new system had been laid in the province which would be expanded expeditiously. He said that such a system was being introduced in the country which would ensure stern punishment to the elements involve in food adulteration besides those involved in spurious drugs, substandard and bogus agriculture medicines. He said the mafia involved in playing with human lives through spurious and substandard medicines would be rooted out through deterrent punishment. He said that foundation of a new system had been laid with the setting up of the state-of-the-art model drug testing lab in Lahore.
He said that an international standard drug testing laboratory had been established to eradicate substandard and spurious medicines trade as latest computerised equipment and machinery had been installed in the lab. He said that medicines samples would be acquired and analysed in the laboratory in accordance with international standard as the purpose of this model drug testing laboratory was to improve the standard of medicines in the province. He said the laboratory was one of the best laboratories of the world and the most modern drug testing laboratory of the country.
He said that it was a matter of happiness that a reliable and international standard drug testing lab had been inaugurated. He said that staff working in the laboratory got training from LGC Lab of London. The staff recruited through Punjab Public Service Commission and those receiving latest training from London would operate this lab jointly, he said adding that the scope of these labs would gradually be expanded. He said it was also deplorable that the nation had been kept in the dark through hiding the facts. But, he said, as Khadim-e-Ala he considered it his responsibility to apprise the people of factual position.
He said that unfortunately in 2010-11 about 100 deaths occurred due to substandard medicines in Punjab Institute of Cardiology and the Punjab government was held responsible for this but he wanted to bring the facts to light.
Shahbaz Sharif said that he sent samples of these medicines to LGC, London and also to laboratories of France and Geneva but the PPP government gave these samples of drugs to Federal Drug Testing Laboratory which gave a satisfactory report. Perhaps, he said, that it was due to the fact that production of these medicines was linked to the federal institutions. He said had these medicines given to the patients been analysed by any drug testing lab of Punjab, its result would perhaps not been accepted. He said that when the report of LGC, London was received it was revealed that the medicines given to heart patients were for the treatment of malaria and it also contained elements of malaria as well. Later, he said, the report of labs of France and Geneva also authenticated this report which made it clear that the local drug testing lab was a fraud and the people were being hoodwinked.
He said that instead of awarding punishment to the elements involved in the heinous trade of spurious medicines, efforts were made to save them. He said that those involved in the evil trade of spurious medicines could be punished only if cases were registered against them. He said that in the light of the reports of international labs and the facts that were revealed, the provincial government decided that a latest drug testing lab should be set up in Punjab and the government started work in this direction but hurdles were created. However, he said, a milestone had been achieved which would help in rooting out the mafia involved in the heinous trade of spurious and substandard medicines.
The chief minister said that during his recent visit to London, he also went to LGC Lab after which its team came to Lahore and started work on the project of modern drug testing laboratory which had been completed expeditiously. He said that Health Department authorities of Punjab and LGC representatives should be congratulated on this achievement. He said that the scope of the modern model drug testing laboratory set up in Punjab would be extended to other districts as well.
He said there was a collusion between the mafia producing substandard and spurious drugs and the corrupt elements of some government departments and they did not want that a modern drug testing laboratory should be set up in the province. He said that the building of the drug testing laboratory was constructed in 1970 and it conducted test of 30,000 samples of medicines which was not possible as in Britain tests of only 2,000 drug samples were carried out. He said that it was a fraud for earning money through illegal means and he could not allow this practice to continue.
Therefore, Shahbaz Sharif said, he personally visited LGC Lab during his visit to London and due to this, this model laboratory had taken a practical form. He said that establishment of the modern drug testing lab in the provincial metropolis was a big service. He said the Punjab government had also established the biggest and most modern forensic science lab in the provincial metropolis and it was being linked with nine divisions of Punjab through satellite which would help in collection of evidence of cases at the local level and would result in substantial improvement in criminal justice system.
He said that during his tenure in 1997-99, he had checked the elements involved in the spurious agriculture medicines trade and now adulteration in food items besides spurious drugs and substandard agriculture medicines would also be curbed and no one would be allowed to play with human lives.
The chief minister after inauguration of drug testing lab inspected its various sections and talked to the staff. He expressed satisfaction over modern system of testing of drug samples and appreciated the efforts of the staff.
Earlier, Secretary Primary & Secondary Health Ali Jan Khan gave a briefing regarding setting up of model drug testing lab.
Mr Steve Wood of Laboratory of Government Chemist Britain while addressing the function said that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited LGC Laboratory, London a few months ago after which he and his team came to Lahore in November and met the chief minister who asked for establishment of a state-of-the-art model drug testing lab. He said that the way this project had been completed by the team led by the chief minister in a very short period was surprising. He said that international standard would be maintained in the analysis of samples of medicines in the model lab.
