Vision impairment cases reported in several cities

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Lahore’s private hospital involved

sealed; cases registered

Bureau Report

LAHORE: A day after it was revealed that the eyesight of as many as 40 diabetes patients was affected due to substandard injections in Lahore, cases of vision impairment were also reported in other cities of Punjab.

Punjab caretaker Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Nasir Jamal revealed on Sunday that separate dealers were selling fake injections in Lahore, Kasur, Multan, and Sadiqabad.

He added that data on those selling fake injections in different cities of the province was being gathered.

“None of the operatives of the fake injection-selling network has been arrested yet,” he said.

However, he added that a request to file cases against those who make fake injections had been put forward.

Moreover, he added: “A list of the people affected by fake injections is also being prepared.”

Yesterday, meanwhile, the Punjab Health Department constituted a committee headed by ophthalmologist Dr Asad Aslam to probe the matter, after Pakistan Peoples Party leader Chaudhry Manzoor revealed that his brother and a friend’s eyesight was affected when they received the shot inside their eyes.

“The injections caused infections in their eyes and later vision problems,” he added.

The PPP leader said when he shifted his brother to a Lahore hospital, 18 other patients with the same condition were already admitted to the medical facility.

Confirming the report, Punjab caretaker Health Minister Dr Javed Akram told Geo News that at least 40 people were affected by the substandard injections.

Taking notice of the incidents, he maintained that the entire stock of substandard injections had been removed from the market.

Dr Aslam was of the view that the injections affected the retinas of the diabetes patients.

He also confirmed that out of the 40, 12 patients have lost their eyesight permanently.