Daily Times

Sir: Gilgit-Baltistan Public Accounts Committee in its assembly brought the matter forth that medicines to all the government hospitals are supplied sans undergoing the laboratory test which is alarming to human lives.

GB Health Department in a quandary because: Under Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules, it is mandatory to give prerogative of medicines supply tender to a lowest bidder who then, once getting a tender, supply cheap counterfeit medicines and spurious drugs. Plus, due to non-availability of ‘drugs testing laboratory’ facility in entire region, the drugs Inspector sends a drug model to another city and, hence, it takes three months to obtain its result. Meanwhile, it becomes compulsion for Health Department to provide medicines to the public.

Government should alter the PPRA rules of Health and ban the supply of medicines prior to proper laboratory test, and upgrade the Drugs Testing Laboratory by ensuring all facilities needed on a war-footing basis to save precious lives instead of risking them.

ZAHID ALI ZOHRI

Nagar, Gilgit-Baltistan