Hospitals using smuggled equipment

LAHORE:

The sale of unapproved and smuggled drugs, medical devices and surgical instruments is at the peak in the markets of Punjab.

According to attendants of patients, they are forced to purchase substandard instruments by the staff of the hospitals' operation theatres.

They said the use of smuggled surgical instruments, including cannulas, syringes, IV sets and drugs continue in the operation theatres, while big medical stores located around the hospitals were involved in their sale.

The Drug Regulatory Authority appears helpless to stop the sale of smuggled and unapproved products. Sources in the authority said its officials were aware of the issue of smuggling and sale of unapproved healthcare products, and they were planning a crackdown against the mafia involved in the business.

They said the illegal business flourishing in and outside the hospitals had become a major issue in the health sector.

The smuggled and unapproved drugs and instruments are openly sold in the medical stores and used in big hospitals.

The sources sad the regulatory authority had also received complaints in this regard.

The drug regulatory authority is responsible to stop the sale of unapproved drugs and instruments in the country and it frequently takes steps for the purpose. The illegal sale was curbed several times but has resumed in the province, especially Lahore.

The trade of smuggled and unapproved products puts at risk the lives of patients while also damaging the business of the pharmaceutical industry.

A senior officer of the regulatory authority told The Express Tribune, "DRAP has also received complains from stakeholders in connection with the availability of unregistered and smuggled medical devices, canulas, syringes and drugs in the market. We have not estimated the extent of the trade of smuggled and unapproved drugs and surgical instruments in the markets, but have some pictorial proofs."

He said the authority also had no idea from which country the medical equipment and medicines were being smuggled to Punjab.

"We have asked the DRAP officer concerned in Lahore to submit a comprehensive report regarding the sale of smuggled items in the medical stores and hospitals. We have also requested the field force and the departments responsible to take action against smuggled medical equipment.

Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association chairman Qazi Mansoor Dilawar said the government should take strict action against the mafia behind the illegal business.

"The local industry is suffering due to the mafia and beside this it is cruel that the people are using substandard medical instruments," he added.

He said the government and DRAP should launch a crackdown at the national level.

On the other hand, Pakistan Drug Lawyers Forum president Noor Muhammad Mahar said DRAP had announced action against unapproved and smuggled medical items, "but we reject this order".

He said the ground reality was that there were thousands of surgeries pending in the hospitals but the government was not opening the letters of credit for import.

The lawyer said the hospitals were forced to use the available equipment because of the prevailing circumstances.

He said DRAP and the government should address the concerns of the stakeholders in the sector.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th, 2023.