VEHARI - The sale of Harmful skin whitening creams is at its peak as these are manufactured without following the standard operating procedure and easily available in the market without any check and balance by the authorities.

Most of these skin whitening creams contain mercury and steroid thus cause serious health hazards. As per rules, no cream should contain mercury as its ingredient. These skin creams are marketed heavily in different areas.

Though steroids give temporary improvement in colour and decrease skin hyper pigmentation but their long-term use gives side effects like unwanted facial and body hair, sensitivity of skin and atrophy or thinning of skin. Skin capillaries or blood vessels become visible where these whitening creams are constantly applied.

Peoples demanded that health authority check and make it mandatory to the creams manufacturers follow rules and regulation. Health officials are completely silent and have turned a deaf ear to the menace. When contacted, DC Ali Akbar Bhatti said that the government will not allow them to run their businesses and playing with the public health. He directed to AC Asif Shah to look into the issue.

On the other side, EDO Health Dr Afzal Bashir said that Punjab government is providing healthcare across the province. Punjab is purchasing quality medicines and the best possible facilities for the masses, he added.

He said that facilities provided in KPK are not good as compare to Punjab province. KPK purchases medicines from Danas Pharma which is on 123 number as per world ranking but Punjab gets medicines from Novartis and GSK which are leading companies of Pakistan, he added.