Shahbaz chairs meeting to inspect use of unregistered stents

A high level meeting, with Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in the chair, on Saturday reviewed the incident of using unregistered stent for patients in some hospitals. Chairman Chief Minister's Inspection Team (CMIT) presented the report about using unregistered stent. Chief Minster expressed his strong displeasure over buying unregistered stents and using it for the patients.
He observed that the department as well as the Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan did not perform their duties amicably with regard to unregistered stents. The Chief Minister, in this regard, ordered to conduct comprehensive audit of the hospitals and patted the administration of Multan Institute of Cardiology and Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology for purchasing registered stents for their patients. He inquired that if Multan and Faisalabad's institutes of cardiology can use registered stents for their patients, then what is the reason of using unregistered stents in some of the hospitals? Dealing with nitty-gritty is the responsibility of the concerned department.
He directed that immediate steps should be taken to improve the efficiency of health department. The Chief Minister said that we will have to set our house in order first; and in this regard, observance of duty would also have to be ensured.
He said the Punjab Government has provided resources to the tune of billions of Rupees for providing best healthcare facilities to a common man, and every penny of these resources could be spent on the people when an effective monitoring system were in place to monitor all the issues with regular interval. He said that the unholy association of Mafia with regard to unregistered stents would be eliminated. No mafia can be developed when an effective monitoring system is in place.
The Chief Minister directed that a consensus policy should be implemented with regard to use of stents and only registered stents should be used for patients in the hospitals. Pharmacies should be opened for the provision of stents and other disposable items in cardiology wards of Mayo and Jinnah hospitals.
He said that the health department should devise a mechanism to fully monitor the situation. Chairman CMIT informed the meeting that the enquiry committee has inspected the purchase of stents in some of the hospitals and the record has been audited. He also informed about the facts arising in the light of the enquiry Committee.
Minister specialized healthcare Kh. Salman Rafique, Additional. Chief Secretary, Secretary Health, VC King Edward Medical University and other high officials attended the meeting.