ATH Abbottabad: Action recommended against those involved in supply of life-saving drugs lacking warranty

ABBOTTABAD: The inquiry committee constituted by the Hospital Director of Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) to find out the warranty of eight life-saving drugs supplied by the local purchase contractor has recommended action against all those involved in it. The two-member inquiry committee headed by Dr Irfanuddin Khattak, head of Surgical-C department, and Faheem Khan, manager internal audit, was set up to probe the supply of a number of life-saving drugs lacking warranty to the hospital by the contractor. These included “Inj. Adrenaline, Inj. Atropine, Inj. Calcium Gluconate, Inj. Vitamin K and Inj. Bamnzyl Penicillin.” The copy of the inquiry report available with The News stated that the committee during investigation conducted hearing of the relevant staff, including Chief Pharmacist as well as representative of contractor Fazal Surgical. Besides, it said it got samples of these drugs from the local drug inspector and the investigation confirmed that it lacked compliance of section 23 of the Drug Act 1976. It was observed that M/s Fazal Pharma & Add Life Pharma had contradiction in the documents provided by them and their verbal statements. The supplier had stated that related warranty was provided as per Drug Act 1976 while the verbal statement confirmed that there was no warranty of these products provided to the institution. It was further observed that M/s Fazal Surgical & Add Life Pharma violated the clause 16 of the terms and conditions of the bidding documents by not providing the warranty of these medicines. The three- page report further stated that It was responsibility of the pharmacist who received these medicines to inform the relevant authority on time.