LAHORE, Aug 29: Health authorities have again bought a ‘low quality’ insecticide to eliminate vector mosquitoes, it is learnt.
Last year, officials bought 3,500 litres of Permetherine 2.5 EC worth Rs1.575 million even after a drug testing laboratory declared it substandard. An inquiry was ordered into the case that has yet to conclude.
An official familiar to the development told Dawn that the health department bought 1800-litre chemical (temephos) and 10,000kg granules in March 2012 to prevent dengue in 12 high risk districts of Punjab.
The districts declared high risk were Lahore, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Nankana Sahib, Jhang, Kasur, Gujrat, Mianwali, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur and Muzaffargarh.
Since no vaccine is available, ‘temephos sand granules’ is the most commonly used larvicide in both routine and emergency situations, according to health experts.
Officials found during the probe that the company supplied ‘locally made’ temephos sand granules instead of imported one in violation of the agreement. However, no irregularity was found in the procurement of temephos insecticide, the official said.
The officials contacted the customs department, which confirmed that no granules were imported by the company in question.
After a probe into the matter, Chief Secretary Nasir Mahmood Khosa has directed the authorities to seize the product. District administrations have been directed to stop use of the product till further orders.
The official said that in a summary sent to the chief minister a couple of weeks ago, Mr Khosa recommended a three-year ban on the company for violating the agreement. He recommended that payment to the company must be stopped immediately as a punishment.
However, no action was recommended against health department officials involved in the purchase of the insecticide, the official said. He said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had now told the administration to invite ‘international tenders’ for insecticide purchase. He has formed a purchase committee headed by the chief secretary to further streamline the procurement process.
Additional chief secretary, secretaries of health, agriculture and finance departments and one representative each from the local government and Public Procurement Regulatory Authority are members of the committee.
The official said the authorities have been directed to supply temephos sand granules to high risk districts from the same stock purchased for Lahore district.