KARACHI: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Sindh Assembly on Monday ordered an audit of the billions of rupees spent on the purchase of medicines for the provincial government-run hospitals and medical facilities across the province, apprehending substandard drugs were being purchased by the health department.

The PAC meeting, headed by its Chairman Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, also directed the auditor general of Pakistan to provide technical staff to the director general of Sindh audit for verification of medicine procurement.

Attended among others by PAC Members Qasim Siraj Soomro, Taha Ahmed and Rehan Rajput, and Health Secretary Rehan Baloch, the meeting reviewed the audit reports of the health department for years 2018 and 2019.

Answering a question asked by a committee member, the health secretary said that tenders were given through the procurement committee for the purchase of medicines in the health department.

The provincial chief drug inspector informed the meeting that that drug inspectors checked medicines, including licences to pharmacies and stores, while the authority to seal medical stores laid with district health officers (DHOs).

The health secretary said that the approval to register FIRs against those who exported unregistered and fake medicines was given by the department’s quality control board, which was fully activated.

The PAC ordered the authorities concerned to check the sale of fake and unregistered medicines at the medical stores and cancel the licenses of those involved in the illegal and deadly practice.

The PAC also ordered the health department to inquire into the performance of the drug inspectors across Sindh.

The health department was also asked to provide audit records related to Rs6 billion expenditure in different heads across the province, within two months.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2025