The Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare, Dr. Jamal Nasir, has warned strongly against stockpiling medications and introduced a mobile phone application to quickly report shortages. The “Drug Shortage Report” app not only gives up-to-date information on the availability of medications but also pinpoints people who are engaging in illegal stockpiling and price gouging in order to feign shortages.
Download the ‘Drug Shortage Report’ app from the Google Play Store to report incidents of drug shortages, unavailability, or exorbitant pricing. With the use of this app, you can immediately contact drug inspectors by submitting complaints and receiving a tracking ID for tracking your reports.
Dr. Nasir stressed the unethical nature of benefiting from the sale of pharmaceuticals at inflated rates and urged chemist stores to strictly adhere to established guidelines and regulations. In order to maintain the quality of medications at pharmacies and outlets, he emphasized the significance of maintaining standard operating procedures (SOPs), especially those related to temperature, lighting, and cleanliness.
Dr. Nasir also issued a warning to people running medical businesses without the necessary permits, advising them to stop immediately. The minister stressed that competent drug inspectors will be held accountable for their conduct if unlicensed medical businesses are discovered to be open for business.
