The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on Friday expressed serious concerns about the use of unregistered and sub-standard cardiac stents at a majority of government hospitals in Punjab even after the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) granted registration to over 55 of such products all over the country.
Pakistan Medical Association Secretary General Dr Qaisar Sajjad said that the people of Pakistan are being cheated through this unethical and illegal practice. He said this loot and plunder was going unchecked, with stents worth Rs 7000 being sold to patients at exorbitant prices ranging from Rs 125,000 to Rs 200,000.
Dr Sajjad said that the PMA appreciated the suo motu action taken by the Supreme Court regarding this issue and hoped that the court will take notice of other scams in the healthcare industry.
He demanded on the behalf of the PMA that the inflated amount paid by patients should be reimbursed, and said that the government should provide high quality stents at an affordable price
“The criminals involved in this scam should be brought to book,” he added.