Imran Zakir
KARACHI: Governor Sindh Imran Ismail has appreciated the efforts of the government and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) regarding interaction between doctors and pharmaceutical companies to curb under table practices while talking to media at the inaugural ceremony of Pak-Pharma and Healthcare Exhibition, here at Expo Centre, Tuesday.
He emphasized that the field of Medicine is a very noble profession and all doctors enter this profession with the intention of serving humanity. However, some instances of inappropriate conduct including money for personal gains suffer the entire medical community to humiliation.
It should also be noted that the health sector is not the lone sufferer in the capitalist trends of society, and this trend is observed all over the world. Unethical and undesired practices should be checked and the Government is very serious about the health of its peoples that’s why Ehsaas Health Card program is launched for those people who could not even buy a medicine were now getting free and quality treatment facilities.
Moreover, he said that many practices have been considered to be in the grey zone, necessitating guidelines. DRAP has to work on physician-pharma relationship guidelines and dire need to educate young doctors on the ethical aspect of the healthcare industry.
Media fraternity raised the question that the government, law enforcement agencies and the judiciary should not give this much needed process a negative direction, and refrain from maligning the whole profession and victimization; otherwise the actual benefits targeted will be overshadowed.
The Sindh Governor responded that a policy should be designed with doctors, health administrators and pharmaceutical representatives, based on urging self-realization, improvement in procedures, removing loopholes and eliminating corruption.
In response to a question about leaked audio of former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, the Sindh governor said that the ‘Video and Calibri Queen’ lies blatantly but had been caught all the time yet she is not ashamed at all.
Chairman PPMA Mansoor Dilawar, KCCI President Muhammed Idris, Muhammad Arif Lakhani, Asim Ijaz, Abu Bakar Shamsi, Nasir Riaz Anwal, Tanveer Barry, Amir Churra and Qamar Usman, Shomail Ahmed, Muhammed Iqbal were also present at the occasion.