KARACHI: The drug sample examination at Sindh Drug Testing Laboratory (SDTL) has been badly affected in the province due to multiple issues including a shortage of technical staff and unavailability of water and electricity.
The SDTL has been facing acute shortage of technical staff microbiologists, biochemists, pharmacists, analysts and others. The administration was also unavailable to analyse the drugs on time due to the apathy of Sindh government. The drug testing laboratory plays a major role in checking the manufacture and sale of spurious, substandard, expired, counterfeit and unregistered drugs in the province.
The drug samples collected from the markets and pharmaceutical companies for examination could not be performed on time owing to unavailability of staff, water and electricity. Sources at SDTL told PPI that due to lack of interest by the provincial government, several technical posts were lying vacant while the number of posts had not been increased with the passage of time. The employees were also deprived of promotions for several years.
The electricity problems and the shortage of water had also disturbed the drug sample examination.
SDTL Director Syed Muzaffar Ali Jaffri, while talking to PPI, said that the number of sanction posts has not been increased for several years. The shortage of water and electricity has affected the functioning of SDTL. He informed that the administration had requested the Sindh chief minister for up-gradation of posts and allocation of more seats to improve examination and analysing the process of drugs but to no avail.
