Caretaker Health Minister Dr Nadeem Jan said on Sunday that a locally manufactured injection, allegedly responsible for causing loss of vision in several patients in Punjab, had been recalled from the market while a case been registered against the suppliers.
On Saturday, the Punjab government formed a five-member committee to probe the loss of eyesight among patients after allegedly being administered locally manufactured injection “Avastin” at different hospitals in the province.
According to reports, diabetic patients in Lahore, Kasur, and Jhang districts were administered Avastin injections to address retinal damage. However, these injections led to severe infections, ultimately resulting in the loss of eyesight of approximately 12 patients, including the brother of senior PPP leader Chaudhry Manzoor and his friend.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad alongside Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir, the minister said that reports regarding the injections had been received from Multan, Kasur, Lahore and Sadiqabad.
“Dr sahib informed us that the investigation is ongoing,” he said, adding that a five-member committee had also been formed which would submit a report in three days.
Jan said that the injection in question had been recalled from the market, and selling it was no longer permitted. “The supplier [of the injections], two men, a first information report (FIR) has been registered against them and a legal inquiry has been initiated.”
He reiterated that the injection had been recalled from the market, assuring the nation that the matter would be investigated in a transparent manner and the findings would be placed before the people.
He further said that the government would also go after those responsible while also cooperating with those that had been affected and providing them with the necessary medical attention.
Meanwhile, Nasir said that the a large margin of profit was being earned through the injection. He said that the injection came in a dose of 100mg, and was manufactured by a multinational pharmaceutical and distributed by a well-reputed institution.
“The dose is 100mg. But it is divided for the eyes because only a 1.2mg dose is required,” the provincial minister said. He said that the entire batch had been removed from the market by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap), while instructions had been issued that that it would not be sold until the reports weren’t “clear”.
“At the same time, we asked our inspectors to seize it from the markets,” Nasir said. He further said that a FIR had been registered against two men, Naveed and Hafiz Bilal, and raids were under way to apprehend them.
He said that the incident was not limited to Lahore and Kasur, adding that reports were also received from Multan and Sadiqabad. He said that the committee formed by the Punjab government was investigating whether this was a sterilisation issue or if there was an issue with the entire batch.
