Pure medicine: LHC seeks govt briefing on drugs purchase policy

How will Punjab government ensure the purchase of untainted medicines for public hospitals in the province.

LAHORE:

Justice Umar Ata Bandial of the Lahore High Court on Thursday directed the Punjab government to present its policy in court on March 27 on how it will ensure the purchase of untainted medicines for public hospitals in the province.

Hearing a petition by Advocate Muhammad Azhar Siddique for a transparent medicine purchase policy, Justice Bandial said that citizens had a right to unadulterated food and medicine.

The judge also directed an additional advocate general to appear before the court after getting a response from the Punjab government about the flaws pointed out by the petitioner in the rules for the purchase of medicine.

The petitioner asked the court to issue directions to the government to ensure a transparent policy for the purchase of medicine.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2012.