Due to the dysfunctional Central Drug Testing Laboratory (CDTL), the quality of all the drugs purchased or donated for the vertical health programmes and others available at medical stores or manufacturing sites have not been tested after the devolution of Ministry of Health, thus allowing the elements involved in illegal business to play with the citizens’ lives.
After the devolution of Health Ministry to the provinces, the CDTL is not functioning, as it lost its legal status after the health sector was devolved under the 18th Amendment.
On the other hand, medical stores and manufacturers at the federal level are given a freehand, as no drug has been tested for quality assurance for the federal territory since June 30.
An official in the health sector told Pakistan Today, while requesting anonymity, that the drug testing had been conducted at the provincial level, but according to the law, no provincial drug inspector could take sample from manufacturing sites or test the drugs of vertical health programmes, including National Health Programmes of hepatitis, TB, malaria, AIDS, EPI and others.
“This criminal negligence on the part of the authorities concerned is a huge threat to the citizen’s health, as no testing can badly affect the drugs quality which ultimately affects the health of people.”
Major drug stores in the capital city are of the opinion that no drug inspector has visited their outlets since long for taking the sample of drugs for testing.
They told Pakistan Today, albeit with a request not to be named, that before the devolution, the drug inspector used to visit them occasionally, but they had not received anyone from the health sector to monitor their store since then.
It was observed during a visit to Bhara Kahu, a suburban area of Islamabad, that spurious drugs were easily available at medical stores opened in every nook and corner of the locality. Various drugs, for example ‘Paracetamol’, was spurious as the colour of packing and design was completely different and of low quality as compared to the available in stores in Islamabad.
When contacted, Ansar Sheikh, the federal drug controller, confirmed that the CDTL was currently dysfunctional after the devolution of health ministry and no local drug tests had been conducted since June 30.
He also said that the drugs of vertical national health programmes and those manufactured at the federal manufacturing sites were tested to ensure their quality at the CDTL, but unfortunately after the 18th amendment, the CDTL lost its legal status; therefore, they had not tested any drug.
“The provinces have started doing their own testing, but we have brought this issue to the higher authorities at the federal level and hope things will get settled soon. As after the devolution, things are quite confusing so far, as no alternative mechanism for health issues at the federal level have been planned and we are facing the practical difficulties.”
When he was asked about the spurious drugs available in Bhara Kahu, he assured to involve the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration to take immediate action and remove the fake drugs from market.
