Counterfeit drugs sale: Chief minister Punjab for surgical operation to curb practice

Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has called for a 'surgical operation' to curb trade of spurious drugs and directed that a comprehensive plan be submitted to him within seven days in this regard. He also issued instructions for intensifying the ongoing campaign against spurious drugs. He was presiding over a meeting to review the progress of ongoing campaign against spurious drugs, here on Monday, disclosed an official.
The chief minister said Punjab government is determined to root out the scourge of spurious drugs and solid measures were taken during his last tenure, which had yielded positive results. He recalled that in 1998, his government sent the elements engaged in this trade behind bars due to which factories producing spurious drugs were closed down. "Similar measures are needed now and health department should depute competent and honest drug inspectors for this purpose," he maintained.
Earlier, Punjab Health Secretary, Fawad Hasan Fawad gave a briefing regarding the ongoing campaign against spurious drugs. He said medicines were checked at 14,509 places during the last two months and 7,810 samples were obtained during the last two months. He also said 685 shops were sealed during this period on complaints of sale of spurious drugs, while 19 cases registered and heavy fines imposed.
Participants of the meeting, on the occasion, gave proposals for curbing the sale of spurious drugs. Members of the Provincial Assembly, Dr Saeed Elahi, Dr Asad Ashraf, Tanveer Aslam, Secretary Health, Director General Health and other officers concerned attended the meeting.