SANGHAR, June 12: A row over the procurement of medicines for tuberculosis patients has created tension between the local district council and the district Zakat & Ushr committee.

The EDO (health), Dr Zulfiqar Ali Shah, disclosed here on Wednesday that the chairman of the Zakat committee had refused to issue a cheque of Rs1.9 million against the already purchased medicines for about 5,500 TB patients registered in the district.

Mr Shah told the Zila Council meeting, held here on Wednesday to discuss the issues of Zakat and Baitul Maal, that the unprecedented refusal to make payment to the supplier of the medicines had put the District Council in a very awkward position.

The government hospitals and rural health centres in the district, he said, were already running out of the essential medicines and the abrupt halt to the supplies would ultimately cause a serious trouble to such a big number of patients.

He told the meeting that the Zakat committee chairman wanted purchase of medicines from the local market on the basis of per day requirement and objected to the procurement in bulk from a multinational firm based in Karachi.

Defending the deal with the company, Mr Shah said that the district health department had negotiated with many pharmaceutical firms for the supply of the drugs and finally selected Lederelle which offered 30 per cent discount on the requisite PZA, Lederif, Mymbutol etc.

He claimed that the orders were placed after taking the Zakat Committee chairman into confidence and bringing all the facts into his knowledge.

It was only at the time of making payment, he further claimed, the objection to the deal was raised despite the fact that the drug consignment had already been provided to the health department in February.

He informed the Zila Council that the firm had since withdrawn the consignment due to the non-payment of medicines.

Mr Shah expressed the fear that the health department would not be able to procure the drugs on previous rates which offered a discount of Rs600,000. Furthermore, he said, with 15 per cent GST the drugs would cost the health department 45 per cent more than the previous rates.

The Zila Council took a serious note of the situation and deplored the attitude of the Zakat officials.

The UC Nazims, Faisal Wassan, Amanullah and Atta Muhammad Chanhio, stressed upon the Zakat department to release the cheque immediately.

The house unanimously passed a resolution tabled by a member, Dr Bhagchand, calling on the government to abolish the GST on drugs.