KARACHI: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Sindh Assembly was informed on Thursday that 38 out of 55 companies supplying syringes and drip sets to government hospitals across the province were found to be providing substandard products.
Sindh Chief Drug Inspector Ghulam Ali Lakho disclosed this during a PAC meeting chaired by PAC Chairman Nisar Khuhro to review audit paras of the health department for 2024 and 2025.
He said that laboratory testing declared the products of 38 companies substandard. “FIRs have been registered against these firms,” he told the committee.
The meeting was attended, among others, by PAC Member Makhdoom Fakharuz Zaman and Health Secretary Tariq Sangi.
FIRs registered against these firms, says official
The issue was raised by Mr Zaman, who cited complaints of substandard syringes and their reuse in hospitals, warning that such practices could lead to the spread of fatal diseases.
The PAC chairman also directed the health department to submit a complete list of pharmaceutical companies from which medicines worth billions of rupees are purchased for public hospitals in Sindh, along with details of the drugs.
Responding to questions about procurement, the health secretary said that 75 per cent of medicines were procured centrally while 15pc were purchased at the local level. “Medicines are bought from companies selected through tenders under [the Sindh Public Procurement Regulatory Authority] SPPRA rules,” he added.
When asked about quality checks, the health secretary said the Drug Regulatory Authority and hospital pharmacists monitor drug quality. “Purchases are made only after laboratory testing,” he added.
Mr Khuhro also questioned why complaints of substandard medicines were still being received despite the existing mechanism.
The committee also discussed the lack of diagnostic equipment in civil hospitals. In response to a query on MRI availability, Mr Sangi said MRI, CT scan and dialysis machines were not available in every civil hospital across the province.
He informed the PAC that the health department planned to outsource radiology services in all hospitals across the province to ensure patients have access to testing facilities.
The committee also took serious notice of missing records for a Rs6.4 billion maternal and child healthcare project at LUMHS Jamshoro, funded by JICA and launched in 2020.
Officials failed to produce audit documents, and the project coordinator was absent. The committee ordered action against the coordinator.
A show-cause notice was also issued to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Executive Director Dr Khalid Shoro for not attending the meeting.
On the reported shortage of inhalers during winter, Mr Lakho said smuggling to Afghanistan was previously responsible. “With a complete ban on smuggling and local manufacturing now in place, there is currently no shortage of inhalers in the market,” he said.
Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2026
