Number of patients killed after Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) medicines’ reaction has jumped to 74.
Prof Dr Javed Akram, head of investigation team probing deaths caused by drugs, said death toll could cross alarming figure of 150 to 200.
He said probe team asked pharmaceutical companies about record of medicines. He said some 24,000 to 25,000 patients have taken those substandard drugs from different government hospitals, including Pakistan Institute of Cardiology, in Lahore. He said the factory providing substandard medicines should be sealed.
Dr Akram said many of the patients admitted to hospitals in Lahore due to the usage of these medicines were in critical condition. It is worthy to mention that preliminary inquiry had cleared the Punjab Institute of Cardiology of negligence while the tragedy was yet unfolding.
The Outdoor Patients Department of the Punjab Institute of Cardiology provides free medicine to the needy patients, but after using these medicines, a number of patients from various localities started pouring into city’s hospitals with complaints of bleeding from nose, ears and other body parts.
Punjab government on Monday sealed a factory providing medicines to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology.
According to the report of drug testing laboratory, Mega factory’s medicine naming ‘Cardiowason’ was found substandard because at the time of purchase medicine was perfectly alright but spots has been started appearing with the passage of time.
Cardiowason was given to cardiac patients for lowering the cholesterol in the body. The authorities have sealed a part of the pharmaceutical company.
Hang Dr Azhar
They are all corrupt doctors. They carry stents in their bags. These people are criminals and not doctors.
Punjab Institute of Cardiology’s (PIC's) record of patient care is appalling.
The numbers of deaths after cardiac operations is high. The standards of care have almost no defined parameters. The deaths have not been audited against standards accepted internationally.
Apart from serious untoward outcome for an average Pakistani some high profile individuals have also lost their lives.
Approximately 14 months ago a Professor of Fatima Jinah Medical College died after an emergency bypass. His elderly mother who could not bear the loss of his son also died in December 2011.
The callousness in dealing with the patients is indescribable.
There has to be an independent public or a judicial inquiry into the affairs of Punjab Institute of Cardilogy.
England
24th January 2012
1745hours
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