Punjab’s health authorities have failed to set up pharmacovigilence centres despite the clear instructions of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), with the body bemoaning the non-compliance on the part of the provincial authorities.
DRAP has issued a letter in this regard, reminding Punjab health authorities of earlier correspondence and instructions of the federal government regarding the establishment of pharmacovigilence centres.
In a letter dated October 14 and addressed to all vice-chancellors of public health medical universities of Punjab, medical superintendents of teaching hospitals and heads of specialised health institutions, DRAP said that the concerned departments were directed vide letter No. SO(DC)6-7/2011(P) dated 1.10.2012 to establish pharmacovigilence centres across the province for the identification and reporting of the serious adverse drugs reaction, their monitoring and proposed appropriate measures to prevent undesirable incidents. It was also directed that these centres would be linked with the provincial pharmacovigilence centre, adding that the provincial centre would then be linked to the federal one.
The letter directed to notify and establish a sub-pharmacovigilence centre at an institution concerned, asking it to also nominate a focal person (from the available pharmacists) without any further delay. DRAP has further directed that the federal regulatory body for health and Primary and Secondary Health Care Department of Punjab should be notified regarding this.
The letter made it clear that the focal person would coordinate with his counterpart at the provincial pharmacovigilence centre and instructed the institution concerned to make all necessary arrangements for this.
