Pakistan Council of Pharmacy (PCP) has allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs. 5 million from a college for registration.
This was revealed in the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Health held in the Parliament House under the Chairmanship of Dr. Muhammad Humayun. The Committee was informed that the officials of the PCP demanded a bribe from a college during the inspection for registration.
The members of the PCP told the Committee that Legend College had applied for registration in April, but after inspection, it was found that the college does not meet the criteria.
Representatives of Legend College, in response, alleged that the officials of the PCP asked for a bribe of Rs. 5 million for clearance and grant of registration. They urged the Committee to send the case to the NAB.
Senator Rana Mahmood said that it is shameful for a national body to ask for a bribe. This system should be stopped, he remarked. A sub-committee was formed on this issue under the chairmanship of Dr. Hafiz Abdul Karim, which will submit its report within a week. Senator Sana Jamali and Senator Khalida Atib were appointed as members of the sub-committee.
The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services unanimously passed the “The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill 2021,” tabled by Senator Sami Ezdi and Senator Sana Jamali, with some amendments.
Responding to a query by the Chairman of the Committee, officials of the Human Organ Transplant Authority (HOTA) said that any hospital, which performs transplants, should be registered with HOTA. They said that HOTA is limited to Islamabad and the authority has 20 registered hospitals. He apprised the Committee that no transplants were taking place in the public sector. Chairman Committee remarked that more transplant centers should be registered.
The issue of setting up pharmaceutical factories in polluted areas was raised by Senator Mohsin Aziz in the Standing Committee. He said that pharma factories had been set up in areas with high pollution. CEO Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) briefed the Committee on questions raised on the quality of medicines manufactured in the pharma industries in such contaminated areas. He informed the Committee that under the Drug Act 1976, the construction sites of the pharma industry are checked and verified.
He further said that regular monitoring is being carried out on the heating and cooling system to ensure that no drugs are affected, and in the case of any reports, teams visit pharmaceutical factories three or four times a year. He further apprised the Committee that Pakistan has three pre-qualified labs approved by the World Health Organization, and two more laboratories will be approved soon. The Committee Chairman directed DRAP officials to submit a report to the Committee after a surprise visit to the pharma companies under discussion.
