LAHORE/ISLAMABAD:
The Joint Investigation Team probing the spurious drugs case is practically dysfunctional owing to the noncooperation of institutions of the Punjab government in providing relevant records, The Express Tribune has learnt. On the other hand, the death toll from the reaction to free medicines from the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) continues to rise with the death of two more people on Thursday.
Reports suggested that the death toll has crossed 100; however, the health department has only confirmed 72 deaths, so far. Over 178 affected patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals, while above 280 are still under treatment in different public hospitals, according to an official of the health department.
None of the inquiry committees probing into the incident have been able to determine the cause of the deaths. A senior member of the joint investigation team, comprising officials of the Federal Investigation Agency and the Federal Inspector of Drugs, confirmed that the probe into the contaminated drugs has stagnated.
For one, the administration of the Drug Testing Laboratory (DTL), the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) and the Executive District Officer (EDO) Health have refused to provide relevant information and record to the FIA.
The FIA had sent letters to the provincial health secretary, the administration of the PIC, EDO health and others regarding the exact numbers of deaths from the contaminated drugs supplied by five Pharmaceutical Labs. The JIT also sought information regarding a list of drug inspectors posted in the areas where the pharmaceuticals labs are situated.
After failing to receive the information, the FIA again on Thursday sent a letter to the provincial health secretary quoting the management of the PIC, DTL and the office of EDO Health saying they would not provide any record or share any information with the FIA without receiving, in writing, instructions from the secretary health, sources familiar with the matter revealed.
3 Pharma CEOs arrested
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rehman Malik disclosed on Thursday that six pharmaceutical companies were allegedly involved in the spurious drugs case. He added that the CEOs of three of the companies have been arrested, so far.
Malik said that drug inspectors of the FIA, Lahore conducted raids on three pharmaceutical companies – Pharma Wise Laboratories, Al-Falah Pharma (Pvt) and Mega Pharmaceutical Limited in Lahore – and seized alleged spurious drugs (Alfagril tablets, Solprin tablets and Carovatin tablets) from their stores.
Drug test results in
Results of samples of drugs that were sent to Karachi’s Central Drug Testing Laboratory (CDTL) on Monday were completed on Wednesday and a report was prepared on Thursday.
Dr Obaid Ali, analyst at the CDTL, said that all the composition and ingredients of the drugs were found to be according to standard. However, the efficacy of the drugs in question still remains doubtful as there is no mechanism and resources at the laboratory to check the efficacy of the raw materials or the presence of toxic elements in them, he said.
In fact, there is no laboratory in the entire country to check the efficacy of raw materials, he added. The report will be sent to the federal government for further action.
Health secretary briefs PA
Members of the opposition in the Punjab Assembly remained unsatisfied on Thursday, as the parliamentary health secretary briefed them on the free medicines case.
“The substandard medicines were distributed to 28,000 patients and 450 of them have been affected. One hundred patients have died while 222 are undergoing treatment, 22 of whom are in critical condition,” Parliamentary Health Secretary Dr Saeed Elahi said.
Explaining the procurement process at the PIC, he said that the institute purchases medicines from the company which bids the lowest rate.
He further said that the medicines were distributed on December 15, 2011, and up until the first week of January the government was unaware of the deaths.
“It was in the first week when patients thronged hospitals, complaining of bleeding. A preliminary investigation revealed that almost all patients were using cardiac medicines issued by the PIC in December,” Elahi said.
Detailing government response, Elahi said that the first response was to provide free medical care to affected patients at all teaching hospitals.
Simultaneously, he said, suspected drugs are being collected from patients through the local administration, health authorities and police.
Secondly, he said, samples of suspected drugs have been sent for analysis and investigation to domestic and foreign laboratories. Samples have been sent to the National Institute of Health, Islamabad, while some samples have also been sent to a lab in London, Belgium and the US.
LHC issues notices
Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court on Thursday issued notices to Punjab health secretary, DG FIA, and inspector general Punjab police for January 30 in a petition seeking the judicial inquiry of the deaths of scores of cardiac patients due to the use of adulterated medicines.
With additional reporting by ALI USMAN, ABDUL MANAN AND RANA TANVEER IN LAHORE AND SAMIA SALEEM IN KARACHI.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 27th, 2012.
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