KARACHI, Feb 26: The health authorities raided the medicine market near the Denso Hall on Thursday and sealed an outlet where counterfeit and spurious drugs were being sold.

At the shop that was sealed, vials of vaccines were being sold to the people which were actually meant for animals. The raid was authorized by the Chief Minister's Adviser on Health, Noman Saigal. The divisional drug inspector, Salahuddin Tunio, and the Karachi's EDO (Health) Dr Fazal Illahi, accompanied Mr Saigal on the raid.

Speaking to Dawn after the medicine shop had been sealed, Dr Fazal Illahi said the drugs were packaged in such a manner that even the highly educated people could not differentiate between the fake and genuine medicines.

Answering a question, he pointed out that the sealed outlet was located in Kachchi Gali number 1. "All the steps taken against the shop are according to the laws of the land," he remarked.

The EDO said the steps taken against the shop would set off alarm bells in the entire counterfeit drugs market. "We told the shopkeepers that we don't want to take drastic measures against them. But we will not stop until the cheats and thugs mend their ways. This can only be good for the patients."

In response to a question, Dr Illahi maintained that measures would also be taken against the people who manufactured spurious medicines. He added that vials of counterfeit vaccines were fuelling the spread of hepatitis among the Pakistanis.

Already several shopkeepers of the area had become frightened and started getting rid of the spurious medicines, said the EDO. "As I said, the raid will have a positive effect on the overall situation. Soon all dealers will be dealing only in genuine drugs."