A spokesperson of the Punjab Health Department has said that the department purchased medicine for hepatitis-C at the rate of 54.35 rupees, with the price including, serialisation of each pack, separate packing of one month courses, courier services, and testing of the medicine from an international drug testing laboratory.
The spokesperson said that all the expenditure had been incurred by the pharmaceutical company and that the department will not bear these expenditures. The spokesperson further said that in the light of these facts, it is very clear that the Punjab health department has not procured the medicines at a high price, as was alleged in the press.
Committee to resolve the issue of unregistered stents
Meanwhile, Punjab Healthcare & Medical Education Secretary Specialized Najam Ahmed Shah has constituted a committee comprising of senior cardiologists to resolve the issue of unregistered stents and other products which are used in the procedures of cardiac patients.
A meeting of all the heads of public sector cardiology institutes at the Civil Secretariat decided that the committee will submit a list of unregistered stents and other products along with the names of manufacturer companies, and present its recommendations to register pharmaceutical companies with the Drug Regularity Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).
The committee constituted by the Secretary included Prof Azhar Kiyani, Prof Nadeem Hayat Malik, Prof Saqib Shafi, and Prof Anjum Jalal.
