Terming unregistered stents fake not appropriate: minister

LAHORE

Punjab Minister for Specialised Healthcare & Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafique has said that stents used in angioplasty of cardiac patients are not produced locally and terming unregistered stents fake is not appropriate. He said such statements are creating deep concerns among the cardiac patients about their health.

“The Punjab government is in close contact with Drug Regularity Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) for registering all the implants and stents used in the medical field on war-footing basis,” he said while presiding over a meeting in Civil Secretariat to review the steps taken for the procurement and registration of stents and other disposable items and implants here on Monday, according to a handout issued here.

Besides, Secretary Specialised Healthcare & Medical Education Najam Ahmed Shah, Chief Executives of Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology, Multan Institute of Cardiology, Chief Executive of Mayo Hospital and professor of King Edward Medical University Dr Asad Aslam Khan, MS Mayo Hospital Dr Tahir Khalil, Additional Secretary Technical Dr Salman Shahid, procurement specialist Tayyab Farid, Deputy Secretary Medical Education Dr Zahid and the representative of PITB also attended the meeting.

Kh Salman Rafique disclosed that DRAP had registered another lot of 22 stents. He directed the committee consisting upon the heads of cardiac institutions and Mayo Hospital Chief Executive to prepare final list of stents within two days. He said other implants used in orthopedic surgeries, eyes, urology and other specialities which were still unregistered would also be regulated and process had already started for its registration.

He said that after getting final list, he would personally visit Islamabad to meet the DRAP authorities for getting registration of stents on priority basis so that no gap or hurdle would stop the treatment of the patients.

Secretary Health Najam Ahmed Shah said that system was being evolved for uniform central pricing for such items and registry of patients who went through such procedures would also be prepared for getting feedback of implanting such devices. He asked the experts of Punjab Information Technology Board to prepare software for this purpose in a couple of days to start implementation on the system. Najam Ahmed Shah said that cardiac units of teaching hospitals were also being functionalised to provide more facilities to the patients.

Salman Rafique observed that a high-level inquiry was being conducted on the issue of unregistered stents and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was personally monitoring all the matter; therefore, we should be very careful while making statements on stents issued to avoid creating anxiety and uncertainty among the cardiac patients.

Cleanliness: As a part of its comprehensive cleanliness and advocacy drives in the city, Albayrak Waste Management Company arranged an activity in China Scheme on Monday.

An awareness camp was set up in front of a UC office whereas special cleanliness operations were carried out in the area. Awareness pamphlets were distributed among visitors and complaints were registered and addressed during the campaign. 

Mayor Mubashir Javed along with Deputy Mayor Ch Bilal and UC Chairman Master Nisar examined the field activity of Albayrak and visited the awareness camp. The mayor expressed satisfaction over cleanliness arrangements in the scheme.

GM Operations of Albayrak Osman Nuri briefed the mayor about special measures which are being taken to improve the cleanliness conditions in the area. Albayrak has also shared customised plan for cleanup operations with the public representatives. 

UHS: The 49the meeting of the syndicate of the University of Health Sciences (UHS) was held on Monday with Vice Chancellor Prof Muhammad Aslam in the chair.

According to a press release, the syndicate considered the inspection reports of UHS Affiliation Committee for start of 36 new programmes in various affiliated institutes.

That included Multan Medical and Dental College, Multan for BSc (Hons) in Nutrition, Akhtar Saeed Medical & Dental College, Lahore for Doctor of Physiotherapy, Sahara Medical College, Narowal for Doctor of Physiotherapy, Sharif Medical & Dental College, Lahore for MPhil Chemical Pathology, MPhil Microbiology and MPhil Morbid Anatomy & Histopathology, Shalamar Medical & Dental College, Lahore for MPhil Haematology, Sahiwal Medical College, Sahiwal for MD Cardiology, MD Dermatology, MD Gastroenterology, MD Internal Medicine, MD Nephrology, MD Paediatrics, MD Psychiatry, MD Radiology, MS Anaesthesia, MS ENT, MS General Surgery, MS Gynaecology & Obstetrics, MS Neurosurgery, MS Ophthalmology, MS Orthopaedics, MS Paediatric Surgery and MS Urology, Khawaja Muhammad Safdar Medical College, Sialkot for MS Gynaecology & Obstetrics and MS Orthopaedics, Sheikh Zayed Medical College, Rahim Yar Khan, for MD Pulmonology, Gujranwala Medical College, Gujranwala for MD Paediatrics, MD Radiology, MS General Surgery, MS Ophthalmology, MS Orthopaedics and MS Urology, HITEC Institute of Medical Sciences, Taxila for BSc. (Hons) Medical Laboratory Technology, B.Sc. (Hons) Medical Imaging Technology and B.Sc. (Hons) Operation Theatre Technology.

The members approved the recommendations of UHS Selection Board for the appointment of staff on various academic positions.