LHC declares drug-reaction petition maintainable

LHC declares drug-reaction petition maintainable

LAHORE - Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday accepted a petition filed by judicial activism panel over the deaths allegedly caused by reaction of cardiac drugs prescribed by Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC).
The LHC registrar declared the petition maintainable.
The petitioners adopted the stance that the federal and provincial governments, including health secretary and PIC chairman, were responsible for loss of dozens of precious lives in Lahore.
Justice Omer Ata Bandial will hear the case on Jan 26.
Around 70 cardiac patients have died for using the medicines allegedly prescribed by the PIC.
A senior health official, Saeed Illahi, said that an investigation has found that a total of 419 heart patients have become sick from taking the drugs, and that 45 of them remain in critical condition.
Opposition in the Punjab Assembly has been showing resentment over the deaths for last couple of days. They brought up the question of finding responsibility for the deaths on Tuesday. They also demanded Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s resignation and registration of a criminal case against him.
Speaking to media representatives outside the assembly, Leader of Opposition Raja Riaz urged chief justice of the apex court to take notice of the matter. “He (CJ) only finds faults in Pakistan People’s Party, he should take care of this matter too,” he added.
Moreover, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that an inquiry by the provincial government was underway and all those responsible will soon be held accountable.
While, PML-N leader Dost Mohammad Khosa said that the deaths by substandard medicines was a criminal act and admitted that it was a difficult task to run the ministry of health for a person, who was also chief minister of the province.