A high level meeting was held on Monday at the Ministry of Health to ensure uninterrupted supply of controlled drugs in hospitals across Pakistan. The said meeting was chaired jointly by Federal Minister for Health Abdul Qadir Patel and Federal Minister for Anti-Narcotics Control Nawabzada Shahzain Bugti. Federal Secretary Health Amir Ashraf Khawaja, Special Secretary Health Iftikhar Shallwani, Chief Executive officer of DRAP Asim Rauf, and DG ANF were also present. It was decided to Develop an action plan curb the misuse of controlled drugs in rehabilitation centers. It was agreed to put joint efforts for setting up separate rehabilitation centres for drug addicts in major cities of Sindh- Karachi, Sukkur, and Hyderabad. Along with setting up a special hospital in Islamabad for the rehabilitation of drug addicts. Stakeholders also agreed to formulate a joint policy to curb the misuse of controlled drugs in different hospitals and rehabilitation centers. It was decided at the meeting that rehabilitation centers and NGOs should be registered with the Ministry of Counter Narcotics. The meeting was informed that there was no impediment in the provision of special life-saving medicines between the provinces and the federal government. Various recommendations will be put forth before the Prime Minister’s Special Task Force on Counter-Narcotics. “Present government is taking all possible steps to ensure the provision of medical facilities to the people. “ Federal Minister for Health Abdul Qadir Patel “The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Anti-Narcotics Control will work together to ensure effective measures for the supply of controlled drugs in the country.”Abdul Qadir Patel “Cancer patients with doctor-prescribed controlled drugs will be facilitated and ensured” Abdul Qadir Patel said. The present government is committed to ensuring medical facilities are provided to the people in the health sector, he concluded. News Desk