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mechanisms.
Cough syrup scandal
In November and December at least 50 people (mostly drug addicts
according to media reports) died in Gujranwala and Lahore districts of Punjab
after drinking contaminated cough syrups. The Punjab health secretary blamed
excessive quantity of an active ingredient (dextromethorphan) in the cough
syrups as the cause of deaths. The Punjab government formed a special
committee to look into the matter. The Drug Testing Laboratory (DTL) found
that there was something wrong with the raw material. The World Health
Organization (WHO) was involved while the drug samples were then sent to
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) in the UK.
WHO found toxic ‘levomethorphon’ in the raw material imported from an
Indian manufacturer and used in cough syrups in Pakistan as the cause of
deaths in Lahore and Gujranwala. This dealt a blow to the already fragile trade
relations between the two neighbours.
Young doctors’ strike
Young doctors carried out strikes several times during 2012 to demand
improvement in their salary and service structure. Due to the strikes even
hospital emergencies remained closed or understaffed, multiplying the miseries
of patients. Punjab was the worst-hit province with hospitals in all the major
cities badly affected. The provincial government resorted to arresting doctors
who refused to show up for work. The government temporarily resolved the
dispute by releasing the arrested doctors and withdrawing show-cause notices
issued to others. But towards the end of the year young doctors had begun
another round of strikes increasing the agony of patients. The Lahore High
court also ordered the young doctors to end their strike and return to work
and directed the government not to harass the protesting doctors. The Punjab
No breakthrough in govt-doctors stand-off.
239
State of Human Rights in 2012