KARACHI, April 4: The city government has decided to chalk out an action plan to check sale of substandard drugs and take action against elements involved in this menace.

The decision was taken at a meeting held under the chairmanship of DCO Mir Hussain Ali. The meeting also decided to review the role of drug inspectors under Local Government Ordinance 2002 so that effective action could be taken against substandard and adulterated medicines. Various measures to take action against manufacturing of substandard unani, herbal, homoeo, ayurvedik medicines, their sale and the elements involved also came under discussion.

In this regard, emphasis was laid on a functional effective role of the city government. It was decided that the city government would approach the secretary health for framing the relevant laws.

The meeting also decided to prepare a list of private hospitals to identify the quakes and unqualified doctors and to take legal action against them. Besides, steps to check rotten fruits, substandard and adulterated food items were reviewed. It was decided that a proposal for enforcing Section 144 would be sent to higher authorities to make the anti-adulteration efforts meaningful.

In order to take action against the menace of adulteration in cantonment areas, it was decided that a strategy would be devised in cooperation with the respective cantonment boards. In this regard, the health department of city government was asked to contact the Director Military Lands and prepare recommendations for the very purpose. -APP