Hospital premises used to prepare tainted medicine

Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir announced that proceedings have been initiated against a private hospital, which rented space for preparing and selling small doses of Avastin injections illegally. These ill-prepared injections have caused mass blindness nationwide over the past week.

The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) was directed to issue a notice to the hospital in Model Town and launch an inquiry into the matter, the Minister added.

The minister said that hospital management were required to monitor the use of the space after renting out the floor. It is the institution’s responsibility to ensure that no illegal activities were carried out there.

Dr Nasir said that so far, 80 patients reported being affected by the injection and that 20 patients are currently under treatment at Mayo Hospital in Lahore. The exact condition of their eyesight will be determined after treatment of the eye infections, he added.

The minister said that after the blinding, the use of Avastin for the treatment of diabetes patients has been banned. Case will be registered against those who violate this ban in any form.

Earlier this week, police claimed to have arrested three suspects involved in distributing the Avastin injections, which is reportedly causing blindness in victims of eye-infections.

This was disclosed by SP Model Town Ammara Sherazi when she addressed journalists at a press conference on Wednesday. She said that the arrested accused included dispenser Bilal Rasheed, proprietor Naveed Abdullah and licence holder Asim Khalid. Asim was arrested in Faisalabad, while Bilal Rasheed was detained in Arifwala.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2023.