Health Department did not buy substandard dengue spray medicines

Lahore: A spokesman of Health Department Punjab while terming the news-item regarding drums of substandard dengue spray medicines and supply company not having import documents as contrary to the facts, has said that Punjab Health Department had made an agreement with M/s. Origa Chemical Enterprises Lahore for supplying 22288kgs delta mathrine wp5% and according to the agreement the medicine was approved by World Health Organization and manufactured by M/s Gardha Chemical India.

The spokesman said that the said firm supplied spray medicine to government medical depot according to agreement and pesticides testing laboratory Kala Shah Kakoo declared every batch as per quality and standard. Later, inspection team constituted by Health Department got checked the entire consignment from foreign principal M/s Gardha Chemical India which confirmed its originality. The committee of Health Department not only verified the import documents through WEBOC programme of Federal Board of Revenue but also authenticated the originality of consignment from other relevant documents. The spokesman further said that the committee of Health Department checked over-writings on batch numbers, manufacturing and expiry dates on nine drums and directed to destroy nine drums despite having outside seal upon which the said company supplied further nine drums in lieu of destroyed drums. The spokesman said that Health Department accepted 883 drums being as per quality, standard and agreement. The spokesman further clarified that the Health Department did not purchase any medicine for district Lahore.

The spokesman made it clear that the department made the purchase of medicines through transparent manner and has imported spray medicines as per quality and standard from the foreign principal. He said that the department has a proper system of checking the standard and originality of any consignment.