Truth can restore trust in politicians, judges, generals: CM

Says no effort to be spared for elimination of spurious drugs; draft law being tabled in PA

LAHORE

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that a modern and foolproof system is being introduced for procurement, supply and distribution of medicines.

He said that government had launched a vigorous campaign for elimination of spurious and substandard drugs and the elements playing with the human lives were being dealt with an iron hand. He said that he would not be content until the evil trade of spurious medicines was rooted out. He said that the institutions concerned and administration would have to perform their duties efficiently in this regard. He said that there was a need for collective efforts to curb such evils as spurious medicines, adulteration and fraud in  society. He said that it was time to meet the challenge of elimination of bogus and substandard medicines as well as theft and misappropriation of drugs. He said that the confidence of the people in politicians, judges, generals and bureaucrats would be restored only when they had the courage to speak the truth. Shahbaz Sharif said that such a system was being introduced which would ensure equal medical facilities and the same medicines for the rich and the poor. He said that every human life was dear to him.

The chief minister announced that a cash award of Rs 1 million would be given to anyone giving correct and timely information about the units producing spurious medicines and the name of the informer would be kept confidential as per law.

The chief minister expressed these views while addressing a function held to give cash awards and certificates to the officers and staff showing outstanding performance in the campaign for eradication of spurious drugs at Model Town on Saturday.

He distributed cash prizes and commendation certificates to the officers and staff of different institutions displaying splendid performance in the drive against fake medicines. He said that though efforts were made in the past for curbing this evil trade but the job was left unfinished. He said that an ordinance was issued with the consultation of pharmaceutical companies in 2014-15 for eradication of this heinous trade, however, this ordinance could not take a legal form. He said that a draft law was being brought again in the next session of Punjab Assembly and stern punishment will be ensured to the elements involved in this evil business. He said that there was no need to cry over the mistakes of the past rather collective efforts should be made for putting an end to spurious drugs. 

Referring to the loss of 125 precious human lives due to spurious drugs in Punjab Institute of Cardiology in 2010, the chief minister said that the medicines given in PIC were sent to a most modern British lab, LGS, within 48 hours for analysis which revealed that it contained elements of malaria. He said the factory manufacturing these drugs was located in some other province. He said that the case was also sent to the Supreme Court. He said that the federal government at that time also got these medicines analysed from a lab in Pakistan which declared these medicines as genuine. He said that the then Interior Minister Rehman Malik gave a statement that it was the result of negligence of Punjab government. He said had the samples of these medicines not been got analysed from a lab in Britain, the blame would have been put on Punjab government. Shahbaz Sharif said that when the samples of medicines procured by Punjab government last year were checked by a lab in Punjab, it declared 99 percent medicines as genuine but when the same samples were sent to a lab in Britain, it declared 33 percent samples as substandard. Therefore, Shahbaz Sharif said, Punjab government was introducing a modern system of procurement, supply and distribution of medicines. He said that pre-qualification of factories had been held for procurement of medicines this year and an agreement made with pharmaceutical companies that the samples of their medicines would be got analysed from a lab in Britain at their expense and if it came up to the standard, the medicines would be purchased. In this way, he said the money of the poor nation would not be wasted and the same medicines would be available to the rich and the poor. He said that it could not be the Pakistan of Quaid and Iqbal where medicines of the rich and the poor were different. He said that now the prime minister, governor, chief ministers, ministers, judges and generals would use the same medicine as were available to the common Pakistanis.

Similarly, he said, no one would be allowed to misappropriate medicines worth billions of rupees purchased with the hard earned money of the nation. Shahbaz Sharif said had the teachings of the Holy Quran and the principles of Quaid and Iqbal not be ignored during the last 70 years, Pakistan would not have been facing the same challenges and problems as it was confronting these days. He said that it was still time to resolve to serve the ailing humanity. He said that if all stakeholders decided to serve the ailing people, every hurdle would be overcome. 

He said that he was ready to go to the prime minister or the chief ministers of Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan in efforts to eliminate this menace. 

The chief minister congratulated the provincial health minister, chief secretary, inspector general of police, health secretary, district administration, police officers and the whole team on this campaign. He said that CT scan machines were being provided in government hospitals of all 36 districts of Punjab which would result in availability of CT scan facility to the people at their doorstep round the clock. He said that the companies providing CT scan machines to hospitals of the districts would be responsible for their operation. 

He said that it would put an end to the practice of asking patients to get CT scan from outside the hospital by shutting down machines worth crores of rupees bought for hospitals. He said that machines for hospitals were purchased with a sum of billions of rupees but they remained packed while the patients were compelled to get CT scan test from the market. He said that this was an injustice to humanity and would be brought to an end. 

The chief minister thanked the delegation of Turk Ministry of Health which was present in the ceremony and said that healthcare system would be improved with the cooperation of Turkey. He also expressed gratitude to Turk leadership for cooperation.  

Provincial Minister for Health Kh Imran Nazir said that an effective campaign had been started for eradication of spurious medicines. He said 700 cases had been registered so far and a fine of crores of rupees received. He said that strict punishment was being ensured to the elements involved in this evil business.

Provincial Minister for Health Kh Salman Rafique paid tributes to all the institutions concerned with regard to elimination of spurious medicines. He said that work was being carried out for the uplift of health sector with the cooperation of Turk Ministry of Health. 

The chief secretary apprised the participants about the pace of campaign against spurious drugs in Punjab.

Provincial Ministers Malik Nadeem Kamran and Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, chief secretary, inspector general of police, secretaries of health and delegation of Turk Ministry of Health were also present.