Multan starts taking precautions over fatal medicines

Crackdowns on pharmacies started, lists of PIC patients in Multan demanded by health secretary.

MULTAN: The health department in Multan has started implementation on a set of precautionary steps after medicines distributed by the Punjab institute of Cardiology (PIC) killed over 80 people and hospitalised over 350 others.

Administration at the Multan Institute of Cardiology (MIC) has stopped distribution of all medicines supplied to them by the PIC.  However, lacking an alternative to their supply of medicines, which were given to patients free of cost, one heart patient said that the hospice has started telling patients to fulfil their medicinal needs from the market.

Dr Ali Raza Gardezi, the executive director MIC gave the instructions during a meeting which discussed the safety and welfare of patients. Regarding the queries of the patients, administrative sources said that they had taken best available option to avoid any causality in this region.

Meanwhile, 29 patients who have been under treatment in PIC Lahore have been given special instructions to refrain from using the prescribed medicines which has caused problems. Health Department has given instructions to take back immediately all medicines from patients who have. These patients have been also instructed to have detailed check-ups conducted as precautionary measures.

One aspect which has come after the detailed check up in so far in 18 patients who have consumed complete dose that no reaction has been monitored. Three counters have been made to collect the concerned banned medicines from the patients in hospitals of Multan.

Secretary health has also called for a daily report about all patients coming checking in to the Nishtar hospital in Multan. The hospital, though has said that no patient suffering a reaction from medicines given by the PIC have checked in over the past two weeks.

Secretary Health has also given instructions to generate complete historical reports of all those patients who have been consuming or have consumed the medicines under investigation and also to make a detailed medicinal intake record of patients who have received treatment or are still out-patients at the PIC, Lahore.

A list of all patients who have received treatment at the PIC, Lahore has been summoned by the Secretary Health. 214 patients have been identified from district Vehari who have been under treatment from PIC Lahore and are being monitored by health officials. According to EDO health Vehari, Dr Khalid Majeed told media that they had taken medicines from patients and have also put a check on their physical status. Three centres have constituted in different hospitals of Vehari. Patients have also been cautioned about the usage of banned medicines.

 

Health officials along with district administration and drug inspectors have launched crackdown on medical stores all over Punjab to ensure that the relevant medicines are not sold. Officials confirmed that instructions from the health secretary had been given to health officials to especially to focus on the rural areas and medical stores on the outskirts of the urban areas.