GUJRAT: Notices were issued to the pharmacies at private hospitals that have been functioning without a licence from the local health department.

The health executive district officer (EDO) issued legal notices to at least 11 major hospitals of the city, including those owned by Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Gujrat chapter President Dr Maqsood Zahid, Nawaz Sharif Medical College Principal Dr Zafar Iqbal Gull and former PMA president Dr Muhammad Ikram, to immediately obtain mandatory licences for smooth functioning of the pharmacies.

The notice further stated that the provincial drugs control inspector had reported that pharmacies at these 11 hospitals had been operating in violation of the Punjab Drugs Act 1976/DRAP Act 2012 and Punjab Drugs Rules 2007.

In addition, the EDO also asked managements of these 11 hospitals to provide invoices, warranties and other details of the medicines supplied by a distribution company, KI Traders, to them since the company had been facing charges of doing business without lawful authority and supplying spurious drugs.

The company had been booked under the drugs act in 2015 and the matter was in trial court, and details of the medicines it supplied to hospitals were required for the court proceedings.

Dr Maqsood Zahid told Dawn there was no need for seeking such licences for hospitals where doctors were authorised to write prescriptions as well as administering doses to patients.

He alleged that Drug Inspector Ihsan Elahi Cheema had become a controversial figure who often used such tactics against the medical fraternity despite the fact that an inquiry committee headed by the EDO health had already recommended his transfer from Gujrat due to his offensive behaviour with doctors.

However, Cheema told Dawn that as per law doctors could only provide medicines at small dispensaries or clinics but as far as off-the-counter sale following written prescriptions by doctors was concerned, the pharmacies at private hospitals were bound to function with licences from the local health authorities.

He said it was only Gujrat district where doctors considered his actions an insult to them, otherwise he had got the mandatory licences implemented for medical stores at private hospitals in other districts where he had served before his posting here.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2016