PESHAWAR, June 1: The Pakistan Chemists and Druggists Association (PCDA) has said that the decision of the provincial health department to set up MEDICINE shops in government hospital Swill deprive many families of their livelihood and vowed to resist the step, comes what may.

The PCDA’s president Mohammad Arshad Sadiqqui chaired a meeting of its executive body here on Thursday to chalk out a line of action. The meeting was also attended by provincial general secretary Mohammad Iqbal and office-bearers of various district-level bodies of the association.

Addressing the meeting, Mohammad Iqbal Khan said that the provincial health minister had agreed in a meeting with the association representatives that pharmacy shop would not be opened in government hospitals.

However, he added, the government later rejected the suggestion He said that a similar experiment had been done in the past, but it proved a failure and patients did not get any relief due irregularities of government officials. They, he alleged, misappropriated medicines worth millions of rupees and the fact was acknowledged by the health department. He said that whilethe MMA government claimed to provide free medical facilities to people, it was privatising government hospitals.

He said that an endowment fund was instituted for free treatment of patients of hepatitis, but pharmacists of three big hospitals were looting it with both hands.

He called for a probe against corrupt officials of hospitals and health department through a committee.