LAHORE: An emergency meeting of provincial health authorities on Tuesday rejected reports that there was any shortage of medicines commonly used during dengue and Covid-19 epidemics, devising a strategy to take action against profiteers and hoarders.

The meeting was called following reports of shortage of some medicines in the official stock and the local markets used during the dengue and Covid-19 epidemics.

Presided over by (now previous) provincial minister Khawaja Imran Nazir, the meeting declared that the situation was not as serious as being portrayed on social media.

Health Secretary Ali Jan, Director General Drugs Control Mohammad Sohail, Additional Secretary (technical) Dr Asim Altaf and other officials were present in the meeting.

The officials briefing the meeting claimed that presently over 380 million tablets of paracetamol were available in the the provincial health department’s stock, saying some elements were deliberately creating confusion on the issue.

Similarly, they said, the drug was also available in a huge quantity (over 30 million tablets) in the market of Lahore.

They stressed the need to create awareness among the public that people should insist on paying the officially-fixed retail price of the medicines and foil the attempts of the profiteering mafias behind the black market.

The officials also devised a strategy to take legal and departmental action against those trying to overcharge the buyers.

Paracetamol was one of the most selling drugs and its demand increased manifold during the dengue and Covid-19 epidemics in the country.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2022

Opinion

Accessing the RSF

Accessing the RSF

RSF can help catalyse private sector inves­tment encouraging investment flows, build upon institutional partnerships with MDBs, other financial institutions.

Editorial

Madressah oversight
Updated 19 Dec, 2024

Madressah oversight

Bill should be reconsidered and Directorate General of Religious Education, formed to oversee seminaries, should not be rolled back.
Kurram’s misery
Updated 19 Dec, 2024

Kurram’s misery

The state must recognise that allowing such hardship to continue undermines its basic duty to protect citizens’ well-being.
Hiking gas rates
19 Dec, 2024

Hiking gas rates

IMPLEMENTATION of a new Ogra recommendation to increase the gas prices by an average 8.7pc or Rs142.45 per mmBtu in...
Geopolitical games
Updated 18 Dec, 2024

Geopolitical games

While Assad may be gone — and not many are mourning the end of his brutal rule — Syria’s future does not look promising.
Polio’s toll
18 Dec, 2024

Polio’s toll

MONDAY’s attacks on polio workers in Karak and Bannu that martyred Constable Irfanullah and wounded two ...
Development expenditure
18 Dec, 2024

Development expenditure

PAKISTAN’S infrastructure development woes are wide and deep. The country must annually spend at least 10pc of its...