Adverse drug reaction claims five more lives: British expert arrives

The deadly reaction of medicines provided by Punjab Institute of Cardiology claimed lives of another five patients on Friday, raising the total death count to 128. Five heart patients, including Zafar, 70, Abbas, 57, died in Services Hospital, Anwar, 70, Liaquat, 50, lost their lives at Jinnah Hospital, while 68-year old Siddique breathed his last at Sheikh Zayed Hospital.
Meanwhile, in order to finalise necessary recommendations for improving the state of affairs of public sector hospitals, Punjab chief minister, Shahbaz Sharif has formed a committee under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary. The committee will also prepare Standard Operating Procedure for purchase of quality medicines and recruitment of drug inspectors.
According to a spokesman of health department, Intertek Expert Services Switzerland has declared Isotab-20 tablets manufactured by Efroze Chemical Industries Pvt Ltd Karachi as "hazardous" for human life. He said pursuant to directions of CM, medicine samples obtained from Punjab Institute of Cardiology were sent to MHRA, UK and Intertek Services Switzerland for analysis. A large quantity of anti-malarial drug Tyremethamine has been found in it, he added.
The spokesman appealed not to use the said tablets. He informed that on the directions of CM Punjab, free treatment facilities for the patients affected by the drug are available at government hospitals. Moreover, UK-based pharmacist, Trudy Hilton has arrived here to help Pakistani experts to tackle the situation arising out after drug reaction of medicines. Talking to reporters, Hilton said she arrived here to work hand in hand with local experts to stop deaths due to the drug reaction. She praised Punjab CM for taking timely steps in this regard. She said good thing is that cause of drug reaction has been identified.