The Punjab Health Department has suspended 12 officials following the distribution of an allegedly tainted eye medication, resulting in blindness for multiple diabetic patients. Several patients across districts like Lahore, Kasur, and Jhang received Avastin injections to treat retinal damage.
However, these injections caused severe infections and even led to the severe condition of endophthalmitis. The alarming issue gained attention when negative drug reactions were reported in the Kasur district.
Following these incidents, an investigation revealed that this drug had been distributed widely, sparking fears of an increase in affected patients. Consequently, the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department has suspended several drug inspectors and controllers across multiple regions.
Manufacturers Held Accountable
The Punjab health authorities have initiated a criminal case against the injection’s creators. The Deputy Drug Controller, Hafiz Alam Sher, complained about the Drug Act of 1976 and the DRAP Act of 2012, naming two individuals allegedly responsible for the drug’s production. These manufacturers reportedly made the drug in a private hospital, Saira Memorial Hospital, and distributed it throughout the province.
A subsequent raid by a health department team on this manufacturing facility discovered that the owners were producing several unregistered drugs violating drug regulations. The team has submitted its findings, emphasizing the gravity of the crime and its disastrous consequences for patients.
Read: Defective Conjunctivitis Injection Leads to Vision Loss in Punjab
