LAHORE:Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir has revealed that the World Health Organisation has pre-qualified two more drug testing laboratories being run by the Punjab government, raising the number of such scientific research facilities to five in the province.
The minister was chairing a meeting of the Provincial Quality Control Board, here, Monday, to review the cases of new medicine being manufactured in Punjab.
Dr Jamal Nasir told that as a result of this certification, Pakistan now ranked highest in the world with regard to the number of drug testing laboratories pre-qualified by WHO in a country.
The world body has certified that these laboratories in Punjab were 'operating with WHO good practices for pharmaceutical Quality Control Laboratories guidelines,' he added.
The minister observed that certification of government drug testing laboratories in Punjab was the evidence of confidence which the WHO has reposed in these laboratories. It is also a matter of honour for the entire nation, he added.
He said that the newly pre-qualified laboratories were situated at Birdwood Road Lahore and in Multan. The drug testing laboratories situated at Sundar Industrial Estate, Lahore, in Rawalpindi and in Faisalabad had already been pre-qualified by WHO.
A delegation of the WHO will carry out final inspection of the drug testing laboratory at Bahawalpur as well in near future for the same purpose, he informed.
The minister said that the WHO certified laboratories prevent supply of substandard and unsafe medicine to the people of the province.
Dr Jamal Nasir directed that the pharmaceutical companies operating in Punjab should strictly adhere to international standards for manufacturing medicines. He said that the sole purpose of medicines was to save the lives of patients. No one can be allowed to play with human lives by manufacturing spurious or substandard medicine, he warned.
He said that there was zero-tolerance for companies that did not manufacture standard medicines. The minister observed that the Provincial Quality Control Board was playing a key role in ensuring the supply of quality medicines in Punjab. He said that all cases were being examined purely on merit. The availability of quality medicines was the fundamental right of the people of Punjab and we were doing our best for ensuring supply of quality medicine, he maintained.
Joint efforts to combat Hepatitis-C stressed
Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and Research Centre (PKLI&RC) organised a significant conference entitled ‘National Hepatitis C Elimination Campaign: The Way Forward’, on Monday. The central objective of this event was to enhance awareness regarding Hepatitis C and to present a comprehensive strategy aimed at curbing its future propagation.
Minister of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal graced the event as the Chief Guest. He lauded PKLI's pivotal role in launching the National Hepatitis C Elimination Campaign and conveyed the commitment of the Punjab government to support this vision of eradicating the menace of hepatitis by 2030.
Dr Usman Aujla, Director of the Strategic Planning & Marketing department, delivered a welcome speech followed by an extensive presentation by Chairman of the Board of Governors Dr Saeed Akhtar. Dr Akhtar emphasised the nationwide campaign's significance, elucidating the roadmap and strategies for effectively diminishing the disease's prevalence. He also highlighted the alarming statistics and the public health burden imposed by Hepatitis C in Pakistan, underscoring the need for collaborative efforts to eliminate it.
Health Minister Dr Javed Akram shared valuable insights and future plans while PKLI Dean Dr Faisal Saud Dar emphasised the vital role of both local and international partnerships in securing essential resources and expertise. Medical experts from across the globe actively participated in this event contributing to its success. The event culminated with the distribution of shields among the participants as a token of appreciation for their support.
