Usable vaccines seized in raid on BMC incinerator section

EPA recovers 3,000 bottles of vaccines ready to be incinerated


Our Correspondent November 03, 2018
EPA recovers 3,000 bottles of vaccines ready to be incinerated. PHOTO: FILE

QUETTA: The Environmental Protection Agency raided Bolan Medical Complex Hospital's (BMC) incinerator section and recovered usable Hepatitis B vaccination waiting to be disposed of.

Despite having expiry date of March 2020, the Balochistan Health Department has dumped more than 3,000 bottles of vaccines for disposal in the BMC’s incinerator plant.

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It is said that until the cold chain is not maintained the vaccines lose their potency and could be dangerous to health.

“The Environment Protection team raided the incinerator plant of BMC and recovered usable vaccine of Hepatitis B having expiry date of March 2020 ready to be disposed of,” said Environment Inspector Asmat Shah. “We launched an investigation to find out the truth as to why vaccines worth of millions of rupees are not being provided to the poor patients at the government hospital and are being shifted to the incinerator plant.

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“Along with usable ones, our team recovered many packets of counterfeit medicines that could have been provided to the poor patients or used in the government hospital,” said Shah, adding that the Health Department had been informed over their negligence.

Provincial Health Minister Naseebullah Marri has taken notice of the incident, saying action will be taken against the employees involved.

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