psychiatric patients. Bilal Sufi, General Secretary, PPA gave special talk with reference to Mental Health Day and role of PPA in awareness and promotion of mental health.
Students from IAP & CCP presented documentaries and poetry related to Mental Health.
Meanwhile, Salman Rafiq has said on the directives of Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif, elimination of quackery has been included in the crackdown on substandard and spurious drugs in the province and a collective campaign will be launched against both these elements playing with human lives.
He said this while addressing a meeting of Chief Minister Taskforce on eradication of fake drugs (South Punjab) at Civil Secretariat, according to a handout. Parliamentary Secretary, Health, and Vice Chairman, Taskforce, Kh. Imran Nazir, Additional Chief Secretary Syed Mubashar Raza, MPAs, Secretary, Health, Jawad Rafiq Malik, Director General, Health, Punjab, Dr Zahid Pervaiz, Additional Secretary, Drug Control, Dr Sohail Saqlain, officers of the Police Department and Additional Director General, Public Relations, Punjab Dr Aslam Dogar attended the meeting while commissioners and RPOs of Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Sargodha Divisions informed about the progress regarding ongoing operation against fake and substandard medicines in their respective divisions to the meeting through video link.
Kh Salman Rafiq said the CM directed that the follow up of the action taken by Health Department, district administration and taskforce against spurious drugs should be conducted and action should be taken against the element involved in this heinous business. Rawalpindi commissioner said 35 shops selling substandard medicines have been sealed and samples of 29 medicines have been sent to District Quality Control Board. He said action had also been started against those selling drugs in the garb of providing treatment to drug addicts. Gujranwala Commissioner said 42 persons have been arrested after registering FIR against them, drug licences of 10 people had been cancelled and 67 shops were sealed. He said action was being taken against big fish and flaxes had been displayed at public places of the city for participation of people and they were providing information to administration through telephone. Faisalabad Commissioner said raid was conducted at 7019 places and 476 samples were collected, out of which, 207 were found unsatisfactory. He said 53 places were sealed and 47 FIR were registered.
Additional Chief Secretary Syed Mubashar Raza said that the impact of the action taken by the commissioners and district administration against spurious drugs should be visible. Sargodha Commissioner said 1,435 shops were checked, samples of medicines were collected from 907 shops, 22 FIRs were registered, 38 shops places were sealed and 32 cases were sent to District Quality Control Board. Chief Operating Officer, Punjab Healthcare Commission, Dr Ajmal Khan gave a briefing regarding joint operation of drugs taskforce and future strategy and steps of PHC for eliminating quackery. Vice Chairman Taskforce on fake medicines Kh Imran Nazir directed that instead of focusing on medical stores, units manufacturing fake and substandard medicines should be taken to task.