The National Medical Newspaper Pakistans First Independent Medical Periodical from Karachi Vol. 50 No. 06 September 1-14, 2017 Published Fortnightly Reg. No. ID. MC-153 ISSN 1728-1520 Controlled Circulation NICVD deemed Dangerously high DRAP fails to Medical News Inside 02 05 07 greets its valued readers on worlds largest ... water arsenic ... seize supply of ... EIDUL AZHA INCREASED TAXATION AND PLACEMENT OF PICTURES DEMANDED DRAP initiates Plane load of deaths daily from post-marketing drug surveillance tobacco related diseases; Experts MN Report KARACHI - The DRAP chief further claimed that they had also started MN Report post-marketing surveillance of drugs Picture speaks 1000 words for the first time in the history of the KARACHI - Cigarette smoking country and this would help them in kills over 124,000 Pakistanis Denato, Del knowing the efficacy, safety and every year. This death toll is far Philip Barton: UK High Vecchio: BAT Commissioner to Pakistan Group Head adverse effects of drugs after they greater than total deaths reached patients and consumers. occurring as a result of suicidal bombings, traffic accidents and crime related killings in a given year. This was highlighted at a seminar organized at the 13th Health Asia conference held at Expo center Karachi. This alarming number means a plane load of daily deaths from tobacco related disease. Experts while talking at the British American Tobacco delegation meet with Government of Pakistan Health Asia Conference urged "This system would also help us in the government to treat the cigarettes in order to curb the by International Agency for rooting out the menace of spurious situation as alarming and growing tobacco epidemic in Research on Cancer last year, and substandard drugs from Pakistan increase taxation to discourage the country. He said that he said that 50% increase in and would also save precious lives." smoking. decrease in the taxation on inflation adjusted price could Dr Aslam further claimed that DRAP Prof Javaid Khan of Aga Khan cigarettes in the last budget was reduce smoking prevalence by had made the process of registration University and Chairperson a backward move for the 20%. Prof. Javaid Khan said of drugs transparent and now nobody NATC asked the government tobacco control in the country. that the taxation on cigarette at Continued on Page 11 to increase taxation on Quoting a research conducted Continued on Page 11 PMDC gives conditional Founder: Ayaz Mahmood Publisher: M Hassan Mahmood green light to fee hike Chief Executive: Syed Hashim Hasan /MedicalNewsPk MN Report Online Editor: Haseeb Uddin /MedicalNewsPk ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Medical Assistant Editor: Dr Amna Nayyar and Dental council has agreed to allow private Honorary Advisor: medical and dental colleges to increase fee by Dr Sulman Akhtur Rs0.8 million with a 7 per cent annual hike. Manager Production & Coordination For this purpose, the colleges will however have M Irfan Ali to grant admissions on merit, improve facilities, not medicalnewspk.com Advertising Manager charge extra money in the name of donations and Tel: 021-35833172 SM Shakil (0300-2559344) fulfill corporate social responsibility vis-a-vis patient 021-35872289 Business Executives care. They will also produce an affidavit suggesting Khawaja Akhlaq Ahmed that they will follow the agreement. If these Haroon Rashid (0342-2393917) (Islamabad: 0300-9710774) conditions are acceptable to colleges, they will be examined in the next Council meeting for approval. Designing & Layout Sh M Sadiq Ali Continued on Page 14 Childrens lives at risk as some NICVD deemed worlds largest primary PCI center life-saving drugs disappear from market MN Report KARACHI - Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah MN Report said that the government is trying to release funds to KARACHI - Some life-saving medicines reconstruct the building of National Institute of have almost disappeared from the Cardiovascular Disease (NICVD) as the present building market, putting the lives of thousands of is 50 years old. children at risk. While presiding According to doctors, the drugs are used over a meeting for the treatment of various genetic of NICVD's disorders, the most common among governing body them is Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia department, federal health ministry and here at the CM (CAH), a family of inherited disorders the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan House, Murad affecting the adrenal glands. (DRAP), about this issue. But it remains said that there is Speaking to the media, Dr Jamal Raza, unresolved," Dr Raza said, adding that shortage of a senior paediatric endocrinologist and the specific drugs were part of the WHO space in NICVD as its building is quite old. "We are the director of National Institute of Child list of essential medicines. trying to spare funds for its reconstruction to create more Health (NICH), said that though Children born with CAH, Dr Raza said, space for making it further convenient for patients and availability of these drugs (hydrocortisone faced high mortality risk in the country doctors," he said. and fludrocortisone tablets) had always due to an acute shortage of relevant Shah was very glad when he knew that the patients from been a problem, they had almost drugs and lack of awareness about the Balochistan, Punjab and KPK also come here for their disappeared from the market this time. disease. treatment and return healthy. He added that NICVD has "We have repeatedly informed concerned He explained the CAH resulted in adrenal become a world class institute owing to the health government officials, including those glands' failure to produce certain department's efforts, the donors' generous financial representing the provincial health Continued on Page 11 contribution and administration's untiring work. The CM was informed that NICVD has performed 9,058 primary angioplasties during the last 30 months, making it the world's largest primary PCI Center. He was told by NICVD executive director Dr Nadeem Qamar that the primary angioplasty was started in May 2015. This is when a patient with acute myocardial infection is taken to Cath Lab, his arteries are opened with coronary angioplasty. He told the meeting that cardiac surgeries have jumped up to 200 per month and they expect to carry on the trend with targeting approximately 3,000 surgeries per year. The surgical ICU has been expanded from 20 beds to 34 beds, he added. Dr Nadeem said that all general patient and outpatient services are totally free of cost at NICVD. The free Continued on Page 11 PMA expressed concern regarding public safety of medical staff MN Report KARACHI - Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) and other doctors' representative bodies have expressed deep concern on harassment of doctors fraternity in public and private sector hospitals of Sindh province and demanded the authorities concerned to make Sindh Healthcare Commission operational throughout the province at earliest basis. These reservations were expressed by President, PMA, Karachi Dr Shoukat Malik during a joint press conference held at PMA House Karachi. Secretary General, PMA Centre, Dr Qaisar Sajjad, General Secretary Private Hospital & Clinic Association Dr Sami Ahmed and General Secretary Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA) Sindh, Dr Khalid Shafi were also present on this occasion. Dr Shoukat Malik said violence and harassment of doctors once again are on the rise in Karachi due to poor security arrangements in public and private sector health facilities. He informed that in relation to such incidents, a child with some serious ailment was brought into a private hospital at Dhorajee. The doctor on duty advised admission and the child was admitted in the ICU of the hospital and the family deposited an amount of Rs.5000/-. After two days the accounts department asked for more money, instead of paying the money few Continued on Page 11 02 MEDICAL NEWS / September 1-14, 2017 JPMC facing 50% Dr Ruth Pfau laid to drug shortage MN Report rest in Karachi KARACHI - The Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC), is facing MN Report German-Pakistani national Dr 1960s and medicine shortages since the last KARACHI - Founder of Marie Ruth breathed her last after ended up several weeks, causing Adelaide Leprosy Centre prolonged illness on August 10, staying, adopting Pakistan as her inconvenience for visiting and (MALC), Dr Ruth Pfau, who 2017 at a private hospital in new home as she dedicated admitted patients. dedicated a lifetime to fighting Karachi. She was 87. her life to taking care of leprosy leprosy in Pakistan, was laid to Earlier, Prime Minister Shahid patients. It was due to her endless rest at Karachi's Gora Qabristan Khaqan Abbasi had announced struggle that Pakistan defeated with full state honours. a state funeral for Dr Ruth, the disease and became leprosy- President of Pakistan Mamnoon stating: "The entire nation is free in 1996. Husssain, Chief of Army Staff indebted to Ruth Pfau for her She was granted Pakistani (COAS) General Qamar Javed selfless and unmatched services citizenship in 1988 and received Bajwa, Air Chief Marshal Sohail for the eradication of leprosy. We numerous accolades for her An official of Pharmacy Department Aman, IG Sindh, Corps are proud of her exemplary services, including the country's informed media that the hospital has Commander Karachi, DG services and she will remain in top civilian awards Hilal-i-Imtiaz been facing 50 per cent shortage of Rangers and Governor Sindh our hearts as a shining symbol and Hilal-i-Pakistan. medicines from last few weeks due Muhammad Zubair. The Chief in times ahead." Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad to delay in issuance of tender. He Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali She was only the second person Ali Shah, Consul-General of the said visiting and out-patients have Shah along with his cabinet was to be accorded a state funeral in German Consulate and Dr Adeeb been compelled to purchase also present at the burial.