The District Quality Control Board on Monday recovered illegal, expired and unauthorised drugs from another five pharmacies and hospitals during an ongoing drive.
The board has launched a crackdown against the sale of illegal, unwarranted, expired drugs and unregistered pharmacies and clinics. Talking to The Express Tribune, Drug Inspector Shafiq Khan said cases of 27 pharmacies and clinics have been sent to drug courts for selling expired, unauthorised and controlled drugs.
“Veterinary medicines were being given to people in several clinics and hospitals,” he stated. Pharmacies and hospitals from where such drugs were recovered are Ali Medicose, Fauji Colony from where 1,000 expired tablets were recovered. Besides, Geo Medical Store, Chah Sultan, Madni Hospital in Cha Sultan, Zahid Hospital and Qureshi Hospital in Dhoke Khabba. Most chemists and hospitals did not share details of controlled drugs.
Clinics and pharmacies without licences and permits have also been sealed.
Rawalpindi District Coordination Officer Sajid Zafar in a meeting with board officials ordered them to extend the period for which four clinics and pharmacies have been sealed by 90 days since they have been charged with administering veterinary injections to people.
So far, 46 cases of pharmacies and hospitals were presented in the meeting of which eight were administered warning and hearings of 11 cases were adjourned.
Pharmacies and clinics whose cases have been sent to drug courts are Wahid Medical store, Arya Mohalla, AN Khattak Pharmacy, Saidpur Road, C-Walt Murree Road, Elegant channel pharmacy, Fauji Foundation, Al-Shifa Clinic ,Dhaman Syedan, Aziz Medical store, Cardiac Care, Sarwar Road, Kalma Chowk, Ali Medical store Dairy Chowk, Khattak Medicine Shah Khalid colony, Medina chemist, Shah Khalid Colony, Babar Dawakhana, Dhoke Ratta, Ali Medical Store, Dhoke Syedan, Bangash Pharmacy Nawab Abad, Noor Clinic Mohra Chowk, Wah Cantt, Ali veterinary clinic Mandra, Shahi Tibbi Dawakhana Gujar Khan, Arsalan Medical Centre Daultala, Bilal Dawakhana Mandra, Al Noor Medical Centre Gujar Khan, Basit Clinic Mandra, Allah Abad Dental Clinic Kallar Syedan, Baghban hospital, Kallar Syedan, Azhar Medical, Kallar Syedan, Bilal Clinic, Arya Mohalla, Kahuta, Asad clinic, Murree, Al-Medina medical centre, Murree and Gym Clinic, Kotli Sattian.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 3rd, 2013.