Avastin injection fallout: Pakistan's Punjab govt announces free treatment for patients

Punjab [Pakistan], September 25 (ANI): The government of Pakistan's Punjab province announced free treatment for patients affected by the Avastin injection, ARY News reported on Monday.
The Pakistan-based media outlet reported that Punjab’s caretaker chief minister Mohsin Naqvi announced the provision of free treatment to the affected patients while also saying that the injection has been banned and raids were being conducted to arrest the perpetrators.
He added that it was tragic that people have lost vision because of this injection and orders have been issued by the authorities concerned to act against the drug inspector.
Earlier, on Monday, the Health Department of Pakistan's Punjab province suspended 11 drug inspectors over negligence in a matter related to an Avastin injection that allegedly caused ‘loss of vision’ in the province, ARY News reported on Monday.
According to the Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Punjab, Dr Jamal Nasir, 11 drug inspectors of Multan, Sadiqabad, Khanewal, and Sahiwal, among others, were suspended.
Jamal added that the supply of Avastin injection will be restored by the DRAP after an inspection.
Earlier, Geo News reported that the usage of substandard eye injections in Pakistan was affecting the eyesight of people living in different provinces of Punjab.
Vision impairment cases were also reported in Multan and Sadiqabad.
Punjab's caretaker minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare said several dealers were selling counterfeit eye injections in Lahore, Kasur, Multan and Sadiqabad.
He further noted that Punjab's Health Department had received the names of 20 affected people."While the exact number of people affected by this (injection) is yet to be determined, between 14-20 (cases) have been found so far," he said.
It has affected the eyesight of over 40 diabetic patients in Lahore, according to reports.
Following the reported incidents, Jan said the entire batch of medicine had been pulled off the market and a first information report (FIR) had been registered against two suppliers.
Jamal informed that the data of people selling these counterfeit injections in different cities of Punjab has been collected, Geo News reported, adding that no arrests have been made as yet.
"None of the operatives of the fake eye injection-selling network has been arrested yet," he said.
"A list of the people affected by fake injections is also being prepared."Interim Federal Health Minister Nadeem Jan noted that an investigation into the matter has been going on," he added.
Further, according to Geo News, Jan informed that a five-member committee has been formed to probe the reason behind the vision impairment.
Earlier, on Saturday, the Punjab Health Department formed a committee headed by ophthalmologist Asad Aslam to investigate the matter.
This development came close on the heels of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Chaudhry Manzoor revealing that his brother and a friend’s eyesight was affected after they received the shot.
He noted further that one injection was being sold at a cost of Rs 1,00,000, Geo News reported. (ANI)