Expired stents: FIA blames hospital officials

Inquiry report submitted to LHC judge hearing case

LAHORE:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has found some hospital doctors and staffers involved in irregularities and negligence in the expired stents scandal.

The FIA submitted its report before the Lahore High Court (LHC) that is hearing a case about alleged use of expired cardiac stents at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC).

The report submitted before Justice Shahid Waheed revealed that during the inquiry the then head of the institute, head of cardiology, Cath Lab officials, chief pharmacist, consultants and internal auditors had been found involved in 'glaring irregularities'.

The investigators stated that the irregularities were tantamount to playing with the lives of people.

The judge fixed the next date for further proceedings.

Petitioner Sardar Farhat Chandio had contended that the matter of insertion of expired cardiac stents at the PIC had surfaced, showing that a mafia was playing with the lives of the patients and destroying the hospital’s image.

He stated that Article 4 of the Constitution guaranteed protection of the lives of people.

He prayed the court that directives be issued to the authorities concerned to initiate proceedings against those found involved in the scandal.

The surfaced when a stores official revealed in a letter to the PIC medical superintendent that expired stents had been inserted into several cardiac patients.

He said the institute had contacted the company concerned to replace the stents, but in vain.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd, 2022.