Around 100 tragic deaths of heart patients due to the medicines supplied at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) have occurred. This is yet another blunder by Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Shahbaz Sharif. For three weeks, he was waiting for more deaths, which is exactly what he did while responding to the dengue epidemic. In March 2011, the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad and the federal government had requested the Punjab government to take necessary steps against an impending dengue outbreak again. NIH is Pakistan's leading scientific research institute, as it plays an important role in diseases, the biological effects of environmental contamination and provision of vaccines. It also has an early warning of disease system. NIH had warned the Punjab government about possible consequences but they paid no heed and as the dengue outbreak took place, Mr Sharif's response was poor. Late fumigation and the lack of a public awareness campaign led to the dengue epidemic in Punjab. Moreover, the most effective way to control dengue virus transmission is a biological method. Dengue fever took around 1,000 lives.
Shahbaz Sharif must resign over the current death casualties due to substandard lifesaving drugs because PIC is the largest cardiac centre in Pakistan. It is the first ISO-certified hospital in the government sector. During his four years' administration, PIC has been put into dubious deals with unauthorised local pharmaceutical companies. According to the Drug Act 1976, the quality control system at the federal and provincial level is supported by the professionally competent drug inspectorates and laboratory services. This is absolutely criminal negligence on the part of the Punjab government — it is another faux pas within 10 months. It is quite incredible that instead of tendering his resignation, Shahbaz Sharif is still trying to fool the nation that substandard lifesaving drugs are of imported brand. In my opinion, such an incompetent chief minister must be removed by a no-confidence motion in the Punjab Assembly without any delay so that the institutions in Punjab are made safe once again and such tragic incidents are averted in the future.
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