Shahbaz Sharif: Responsible for deadly drugs

EDITORIAL: DAILY TIMES

Imagine the potential for more tragedies this man-made epidemic has unleashed upon us as about 46,000 cardiac patients have taken the contaminated drugs across Punjab province. At least 76 people have already died due to the fatal reaction of these drugs while many are dying either lying on hospital beds or in their homes in remote areas where health facilities are even worse than the provincial capital. The Punjab health department’s incompetence has doubtlessly cost them their lives through the free medicines they obtained from the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), Lahore. Now the provincial government is using more financial resources out of its already depleted kitty to recall such medicines from the surviving patients through a door-to-door campaign. But is that enough to remedy this criminal neglect? Can the Punjab government justify its existence any more after unleashing death on its citizens last year through the dengue outbreak and now with the supply of these deadly drugs? Why should the Punjab chief minister (CM) not be questioned and held responsible for a fiasco of such tragic nature? After all, out of 31, he sports 22 ministerial portfolios and the health ministry is one of them.

Talking to the media outside a hospital, CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif has pledged to take stern action against those found guilty in the inquiry report ordered by him. Mr Sharif seems to have ignored that being head of the health ministry, the buck stops with him. Had he ever given a single thought to the critical nature of this department directly related to the life and death of citizens and given it in command of a professional instead of imposing himself as its head, matters at the provincial health department would not have been degraded to this extent where scandals erupt one after another and people suffer the loss of their loved ones. The Punjab government is virtually a one-man show where the highhanded ‘Khadim-e-Aala’ has kept almost all important ministerial portfolios under his nose, brushing aside the fact that it is humanly impossible for one to run so many departments and deliver on any front. This also raises questions about the competence of other members in the provincial assembly from his political party, the PML-N. It seems that there is no one capable of or trustworthy enough to be entrusted with the responsibility of leading any government department. Mr Sharif has thus taken this responsibility upon his own shoulders and despite failing on different fronts and facing criticism for his attitude even from within his party, he does not agree to tread the democratic path and share his powers with other eligible members.

This drug-reaction fatal tragedy has exacerbated the concerns about the CM’s approach to governance in dealing with the challenges of the public health regime. Although the accused drug makers are under arrest, the CM cannot simply save his skin by shifting the responsibility or blame onto others for the existing irregularities and flaws in the provincial health sector. He has to explain his position satisfactorily in front of the Punjab Assembly immediately.

Unfortunately, even after so many deaths no one has shown the moral courage and sense of responsibility to resign, or showed the least regret for the negligence and loss of precious lives. The Lahore High Court is going to hear a drug-reaction petition filed by the Judicial Activism Panel on January 26. It is hoped that justice will be served against those who played mercilessly with the lives of people in this case. *