LAHORE – Three more heart patients, including a woman, lost their lives at different health facilities in the City on Wednesday due to reaction of free medicine provided free from the Punjab Institute of Cardiology, taking the death toll till today to 78. Bilqees Bibi, a resident of Sanda, breathed her last at Mayo Hospital while Rana Muhammad Anwar of Ravi Road and Sher Muhammad of Hafizabad died at Services Hospital. 
Meanwhile, the Punjab Health Department has issued the notification of reinstatement of Dr Rehana as Medical Superintendent Services Hospital. She was made OSD on Tuesday for poor arrangements for the treatment of patients affected by PIC medicine. But on the very next day, the department withdrew its decision and reinstated Dr Rehana as MS Services Hospital.
On the other hand, the under-fire pharmaceutical manufacturing companies have threatened to stop supply of medicine to the public sector hospital if they were not given justice. The participants of a meeting of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Association have condemned the government action against some firms, saying that it was giving a bad name to the industry and it would ultimately damage their business in the country and abroad. Demanding impartial probe of the incident, they said that the companies would have no option except to stop supply of medicine to the hospital if they were not provided justice. They said that the Punjab government would be responsible for the loss of patients if supply of medicine to the hospital was stopped.
Meanwhile, the Wholesale Chemists and Druggists Association has announced to temporarily suspend sale of five suspected drugs in the market to save heart patients from complications. These drugs include Cardiovastin, Alfagril, Concort, Soloprin and Isoteb. Addressing a press conference, President WCDA Nisar Ch said that the distributors have not yet received any direction from the government regarding the sale of these medicines or any specific batch. Saleem Sh, Rafaqat Ali, Muhammad Aslam, Shehzad Ahmed and Muhammad Zulfiqar were also present.
Nisar Ch said that the government has itself not reached to any conclusion but the drug inspectors have started harassing the distributers and retailers. He said that as per law the federal government recall a specific batch after a report from the laboratory but it was not happening. He said that sale of these medicines has been suspended and it would be continued after the laboratory report.
In a related develpment, Parliamentary Secretary on Health MPA Dr Saeed Elahi has refused to accept the spurious medicines of PIC, a deliberate act (of manufacturing) but a negligence which is being determined through seven inquiry committees. He says no murder case can be registered against the culprits as such under the Drug Act.Talking to media persons outside the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday, Elahi similarised the PIC-drug deaths with a road accident caused by the negligence of the driver and involving none of his intention. He said the batch of spurious drugs, five in number, had been blocked for the use and examination of others had also been carried out. Dr Elahi said the PIC drugs under question pass through five persons from manufacturing to supply and the probe committees will fix responsibility on the actual culprits within seven to 21 days. He appeared satisfied that situation was under control and patients were recovering.
Replying the question why not the CM handed over the portfolio of health to any other for better functioning of this sector, Dr Saeed Elahi negated that performance of the health ministry under CM was compromised and said, instead the CM gave top most priority to health sector and with that aim, he has raised the health budget from Rs 10 billion to Rs 56 billion besides equipping the sector with best facilities.