Anti-adulteration Drive Against Spurious Medicines

BAHAWALPUR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th july,2016) : Divisional task force of anti-adulteration of drugs Bahawalpur in its ongoing drive to curb the menace of selling of spurious medicines and to eliminate the prevalence of quackery has imposed a fine amounting to Rs 11.2 million, collecting 1603 samples of medicines and sealing 366 medical stores in Bahawalpur division during the last 6 months.

Besides, divisional task force lodged 37 FIRs, registered 666 cases through district quality control board and drug court against the owners of the medical stores on the charges of selling spurious medicines.

This was briefed in a meeting of divisional task force anti-adulteration of drugs which was held under the chair of the Chairman task force MPA Qazi Adnan Farid in the conference room of Commissioner Bahawalpur.

Chairman Task force anti-adulteration of drugs MPA Qazi Adnan Farid while addressing the meeting vowed to further expedite the vigil upon criminal elements involved in selling spurious medicines and involved in heinous activity of quackery. Chairman further directed to mobilize all available resources to turn Chief Minister Punjab's vision of spurious and quackery free medical environment which is aimed to protect the human lives. Commissioner Bahawalpur Saqib Zafar assured the meeting that prevalence of quackery and selling of spurious medicines would be wiped out in the 3 districts of Bahawalpur division through the collective, effective and coordinated efforts of health department and other relevant government agencies.

He directed the health officials to launch a stringent crack-down against manufacturers of spurious medicines. He further asked the concerned officials to have a focused monitoring of all medical stores, private clinics, pathological laboratories and blood banks to implement government of Punjab's standard operational procedures and other relevant rules in this regard.

The health officials briefed the meeting that in the last 6 months in 3 districts of Bahawalpur as many as 1603 samples of medicines were collected from medical stores, 37 FIRs were lodged, 489 cases in district quality control board and 177 cases by drug court were got registered against the owners of medical stores, 366 medical stores were sealed and a fine to the tune of Rs.

11.2 million and 6 thousand was also imposed. The health officials further briefed that in district Rahim Yar Khan during the crack-down against sellers of spurious medicines resulted in registering 239 cases in district quality control board and 122 cases in drug court respectively, imposing a fine to the tune of Rs.

8.4 million and 24 thousand, registering 26 FIRs, collecting 442 samples of medicines, and sealing 167 medical stores while health officials also arrested 3 quacks having fake degrees of MBBS.