LAHORE - The Punjab Healthcare Commission on Thursday held a consultative workshop for implementation of the Supreme Court order regarding registration and licensing of the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratories.

Stakeholders from the public and private sectors attended the meeting. Senior officers of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (NHSR&C), Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and provincial health departments were also present on the occasion.

Chief Operating Officer Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan chaired the session, which was moderated by Director Clinical Governance and Organisation Standards PHC Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Salariya. The participants were given briefing regarding the Supreme Court orders, and recommendations of the committee constituted by the Apex Court comprising eminent interventional cardiologists of the country. The Committee was constituted with the terms of reference (ToRs) of pricing of the stents, registration of the Cath Labs and credentialing of interventional cardiologists. The recommendations of the committee have become part of orders of the Supreme Court of March 20 this year, and are to be implemented accordingly.

Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan said the orders of the SC would be implemented in letter and spirit, and the PHC would ensure registration and licensing of the Cath Labs besides implementing the guidelines endorsed by the Committee.

Crackdown on quacks

The Punjab Healthcare Commission has sealed businesses of 217 quacks during the last two days.  According to details, the PHC teams had visited 770 treatment centres, and closed down 217 businesses, which were being run by quacks. Among these, 28 quacks were from Kasur, 24 from Faisalabad, Sargodha 18, 17 each from Sialkot and Muzaffargarh, 16 each from Sheikhupura, Multan, Gujrat and Rahim Yar Khan, Pakpattan 14 and Attock 13, while the rest were from other districts. Out of the total centres visited in accordance with the census, 201 quacks have quit quackery, and started other businesses.

The PHC teams are being accompanied by officials of the district administration and police. The action was taken in 13 districts, that is, Attock, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Gujrat, Sialkot, Pakpattan, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Muzaffargarh, Sargodha and Lahore. During the last week, the PHC had sealed 558 quackery outlets after visiting 1,841 treatment centres in different districts of the province. Also, since the Supreme Court order for action against quacks, the PHC has closed down 2,241 quackery centres from among the visited 6,282 treatment centres by 13 teams of the Commission. From amongst 6,282 visited as per the census data, 1,484 quacks have quit quackery, and started other businesses.