While presiding over a high level meeting at Civil Secretariat on Tuesday, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif directed authorities to launch a crackdown against the elements involved in the production and sale of spurious and substandard drugs and to evolve short, medium and long term action plans in this regard in order to save lives of the people.
He said that indiscriminate action should be taken against the factories producing fake and substandard medicines as well as the medical stores involved in selling such products. He said that the trade of spurious medicines is also a form of terrorism and deterrent punishment should be awarded to those who are involved in this despicable business.
The chief minister said that the operation against substandard and spurious medicines should be carried out as a mission. He said that an effective monitoring and inspection system will also be introduced in this regard. He announced setting up of two separate taskforces for South Punjab and North Punjab of which he will be the chairman. He also gave approval to institutional reforms for continuing action against fake and substandard drugs on permanent basis.
He also gave approval to the setting up of Drug Regulatory Authority which will be run by an autonomous board of governors.
He appreciated the timely action and measures taken by Advisor on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, Parliamentary Secretary Khawaja Imran Nazir and Secretary Health Jawad Rafiq Malik for curbing the nefarious trade of spurious drugs.
The secretary health gave a detailed briefing on the action taken against fake and substandard drugs.
Advisor on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, Parliamentary Secretary Khawaja Imran Nazir, provincial assembly members, chief secretary, additional chief secretary, secretaries health, law, commissioner lahore, district coordination officer Lahore and authorities concerned attended the meeting.
