Despite a massive crackdown launched by the drug inspectors in Punjab, on the direction of the Punjab Drug Inspector chief, majority of medical stores in the province are being run without a pharmacist, according to sources associated with the health department. Hundreds of medical stores have been sealed in the province for not having pharmacists.
There are over 20,000 medical stores in Punjab, while 4,000 are operating only in Lahore, and 85 per cent of those are being run without pharmacists. Same is the situation in other provinces.
It is learnt that even an assistant dispenser is allowed to run a medical store in some provinces.
During the current crackdown, a large number of medical stores being run without pharmacists have been sealed in Punjab.
Earlier, the drug court in Lahore had given a verdict to seal all medical stores which were being run without pharmacists. The judge had directed Punjab Chief Drug Inspector Dr Zakaur Rehman to take action against the medical stores being run without pharmacists.
