LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has constituted a four-member inquiry committee to figure out the role of private vendors in the supply chain of cardiac stents and vital disposables in the state-run hospitals. It will also identify the processes and suggest a way forward.

The four-member inquiry committee headed by Chief Minister Inspection Team (CMIT) chairman has been asked to complete the assignment on “top priority” and submit its report within seven days, positively.

The committee comprising University of Health Sciences Vice-Chancellor retired Maj Gen Prof Muhammad Aslam, Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) head Prof Nadeem Hayat Malik and Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology Executive Director Prof Anjum Jalal, has been constituted after unearthing of a scam involving recovery of low-quality cardiac stents by the Federal Investigation Agency from a state-run hospital.

The chief minister has asked the committee to examine that under what terms and conditions, the vendors, including individuals, companies and private medical stores, were permitted to sell cardiac stents/vital disposables inside the government hospitals. “In case, such business is found to be illegal, the perpetrators may be identified,” the chief minister said.

The committee will examine the process of procurement and dispensing of cardiac stents and vital disposables, used during angiography/angioplasty procedures, in the government hospitals, including specialised institutes of cardiology and tertiary hospitals.

It is also required to examine DRAP’s registration process for cardiac stents as per law, besides analysing registration statistics and the pendency thereof with the authority. The body has been asked to particularly examine as to how many days on an average are taken by DRAP to register a new product/model/version of cardiac stents and also the mechanism in place to keep the provincial governments constantly informed about such registrations being done at the federal level.

The committee has also been asked to suggest as to how the governments may effectively ensure provision of quality cardiac stents, directly procured from the original manufacturers to the patients. It is also asked to propose a mechanism under which the poor could provided free of cost cardiac stents.

It has been asked to examine the facts of the electronic media reports alleging that unregistered cardiac stents were available in abundance in Mayo Hospital, Lahore.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2017