TAXILA, Jan 29: The administration of Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) hospital Taxila returned a huge bulk of 19,300 “deadly” tablets to the district health authorities despite the fact that all seven patients who hailed from Taxila and Wah Cantonment and remained under treatment at Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) Lahore, escaped the worse and were stable.

Talking to Dawn, Medical Superintendent of THQ hospital Dr Mohammad Shahid said on the directives of District Coordination Officer (DCO) Rawalpindi Saqib Zafar and Executive District Officer (health) Dr Zafar Iqbal Gondal, as many as 18,100 tablets of Soluprin and 1,200 tablets of Cardiovastin have been returned.

He said the batch number of the drugs stocked at THQ hospital Taxila was different from the fake medicines that caused the deaths. However, they would still be destroyed in the best interest of public as they have been banned across the country.

He said Rasheed Saif of Jameelabad, Perveen Bibi of Kashmir Colony, Sayeda Bibi of Gadwal, Ihsan of HMC Colony, Mujahid Ali of Wah Cantt, Shahnaz Bibi of Sector H-24 and Ahmed Ali of Lalazar Colony remained under treatment at PIC Lahore and received these medicines from there but fortunately escaped from consequences. Most of these patients have surrendered theirs supply to officials.