Shahbaz Sharif calls for effective mechanism of checking raw materials and medicines. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
LAHORE: As the deaths from Tyno cough syrup continued to mount, Punjab chief minister has jumped into action ordering relevant authorities to seize all available stock of the syrup and also all raw material used in its manufacturer.
In a handout issued from the chief minister’s secretariat, Shahbaz Sharif ordered that samples of the seized syrup be sent for tests to the UK and that further legal action will be taken after test reports are received.
Shahbaz further directed that samples of the syrup obtained from the patients should be immediately sent abroad for analysis so that the exact cause of the deaths could be ascertained determine who is responsible.
The chief minister directed the chief secretary that all the stock of the imported raw material being used for the preparation of syrup and the manufactured syrup should immediately be confiscated and he should personally monitor the process.
Shahbaz added that that an effective mechanism of checking of raw material and medicines is essential and that there should be an effective system of check and balance from the process of preparation of medicines to their distribution.
The Chief Minister issued these directions while presiding over a high level meeting in Model Town on Saturday in which the causes of deaths due to cough syrup in Gujranwala and Lahore were reviewed in detail. Special Assistant on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, Member Provincial Assembly Rana Muhammad Iqbal, Chief Secretary, Inspector General Police, Secretary Health, DG Forensic Lab and Health, Commissioner Gujranwala Division, Additional IG Special Branch and officers concerned attended the meeting. Chairman Chief Minister’s Inspection Team presented a report regarding deaths in Lahore.
COMMENTS (13)
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@ amanat.
Quiet a cheap shot there my friend. Tell me, whar would a health minister do under circumstances where (bechari awam acts like a small child)? Didn't they get message after incidents & lives taken by 'Tyno' syrup yet again rush to medical stores asking for it? Dont they get it? Do you know people who died by consuming such syrup were actually patients with regular cough? like you said not at all then come over to gujranwala to study a bit more on 19 deaths due this cough syrup & why there were no FIR's filled ever by victim's families. Actually, from what i have studied recently these deaths were caused by alterations made to syrup by adding other illegal drugs to make it more effective. This altered solution was consumed not in bits but whole bottle at once causing sudden heart failure. I ask you again friend, how would you see a health minister sorting it out? Technically you do not have answers, psychologically you can make fool out of your self.
In my views atleast shahbaz has done a much better job than rest of three CMs. I dont perfectly agree with that but to some extent, Cm punjab did well.
Shahbaz Sharif should accept the responsibility of deaths caused by the syrup and should immediately resign. He has failed to appoint a Health Minister during his entire tenure on this most important Department of the government.Are all MPAS of PML(N) inefficient or he wants one-man show in the province? He is jack of all trades but master of none.Are all these people who have died addicts? No not at all. Why effective steps were not taken to recall the toxoc syrup from the medical stores after the dealths of innocent people saying that they were all adicts? This shows negligence and complete failure of the Punjab Government to handle the situation..
Who are the owners of tyno syrup company? Can we see their name. Can we see the names of board of directors? I hope they are not their servants from home. Those poor people do not know that they are on the board of directors?
There is no point in beating about the bush. We do not believe in Institutions and accountability and such tragic incidences are natural outcome of a system based on favortism violating the established principles of merit and fairplay.
Who is responsible for the death of about 70+ people in Lahore and Gujranwala from Tyno syrup, Mr. CM? You or Tyno manufacturing company?
Hundreds of deaths due to criminal negligence of health department in the past 5 years and yet no one has ever been named, removed or went to prison. And the CM is still clinging to 17 ministries himself and is pretty satisfied taking the lives of poor public. Baat Asool ki.
Thank you CM for incredible governance for the past 5 years. There are no parallels of your performance in the history of Islam. You have made Punjab the most desired place in the world to live. Thanks to you, we have seen double digit annual growth in the province for past 5 years. You have provided food (Sasti Roti), shelter (Ashiana), education (Danish Schools), quality healthcare (public hospitals), transportation, justice (LHC), law and order (elite police), and entertainment (your own vocals) to each and every person of the province. People are exalted and are very happy with you. We wish you stay there forever for us, and keep on amusing us with your great services. Thank you for your love of the poor!
Being the Health Minister himself, he should resign as already fake medicine issue happened 2 times in Punjab only and more than 200 people died in them. FYI, First being of the Heart Patients in PIC. Khawaja Salman Rafique, advisor to CM for Health should be jailed along with Factory owners, Health Deptt Provencial Chief and Drug Inspectors.
What a mess pmln has made out of punjab!!!
How many times such temporal and flaunting steps have been taken for only the same problem to be resurfaced again in another health sector? Why the Chief Minister never introduces any real structural change once and for all?
Few weeks ago people were saying Tyno was good.