PIMS orders check on private vendors,medical representatives

The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has instructed the heads of all departments to ensure that neither they themselves nor the staff under their control, is involved in promoting illegal purchase of drugs, medicines or surgical disposables from private vendors and medical representatives roaming within the hospital’s premises, ‘The News’ learnt here on Friday.

Commenting on the situation, PIMS Joint Executive Director Dr. Jehanzeb Khan Aurakzai shared that the hospital had been receiving complaints to the effect that implants were being sold within the hospital premises for prices that were higher than the market rate. The only convenience for patients was that these were available to them at their bedside and hence, they did not have to take the trouble of going to the market. 

“We are now working on a plan under which all orthopaedic, cardiac and eye implants will be made available to patients within the hospital at subsidised rates,” Dr. Aurakzai informed. He also assured that free medicines would be provided to patients in the emergency and indoor departments of the hospital.

PIMS remains swarmed with representatives of pharmaceutical companies, as well as vendors of private chemists and medical stores located outside the hospital. These medical representatives can easily be spotted meandering in the corridors of the hospital, chasing doctors, specialists, patients and their attendants to purchase drugs, medicines, surgical disposables and various kinds of implants from their stores. Eventually, they end up supplying inferior quality items at inflated rates or selling substitutes of medicines prescribed by doctors. 

The representatives of pharmaceutical companies can be spotted visiting doctors and specialists working in the Out-Patient Department as early as 10 a.m. They keep roaming about, even in the operation theatre and wards, to meet specialists till 1:45 p.m. every day, thereby wasting the time of doctors and specialists during peak hours of treatment. 

Taking notice of the practice, the administration of PIMS has debarred medical representatives from visiting the OPD and OT before 1 p.m. Moreover, the heads of departments have been directed to keep a check on promotion of illegal purchase of drugs, medicines and surgical supplies from private vendors.

The joint executive director (non-medical), director of the component, and security staff have also been alerted to keep a vigilant check on vendors and representatives and to immediately intimate in writing, the name of the doctor or person who contravenes the order. The hospital administration is contemplating strict action against those involved in promoting private vendors and medical representatives, it is learnt.