Govt to ensure supply of essential drugs at fair prices

LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to take stringent measures to ensure the supply and availability of essential drugs at reasonable prices. This was decided in a meeting, held here Saturday on the direction of the Prime Minister and the Punjab Chief Minister, with Provincial Minister for Industries Mian Aslam Iqbal and Chief Secretary Jawwad Rafique Malik in the chair.

The meeting was convened in connection with launching a crackdown on those involved in black-marketing and hoarding of essential medicines. Commissioner Lahore Division Saif Anjum, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore Zulfiqar Hameed and officers concerned attended the meeting. Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Punjab Shoaib Dastgir, divisional commissioners and regional police officers (RPOs) participated through video link.

Mian Aslam Iqbal told the meeting steps were being taken to provide best medical facilities to coronavirus patients. He said that all public and private hospitals would be bound to implement the decision of the Punjab Healthcare Commission to freeze the charges for ventilators at the rates of February 2020.

It was decided that in view of the increasing cases of Covid-19, the federal government would be approached to procure 10,000 to 15,000 oxygen cylinders and the oxygen manufacturing companies would be exempted from power outages.

The chief secretary directed the IGP Punjab that vehicles transporting oxygen would be allowed to run 24 hours and the vehicles should not be stopped anywhere in the province. The meeting reviewed the situation in the locked down areas and issued instructions to strictly enforce the restrictions of wearing facemasks throughout the province and take action in case of violation.

The CS also asked the administrative officers to prepare a record of sugar stocks in the province and submit a report within three days.