MY cousin, Hamida Shaikh, being pregnant was admitted, and delivered through Cesarean section at Shaikh Zaid Women Hospital, Larkana. She was not discharged.

The gynaecologist reopened her unhealed wound. But the wound did not heal at all in spite of heavy doses of antibiotics.

We collected samples of antibiotics and knocked at laboratory.

The Drug Testing Laboratory shocked my relatives and confirmed that the antibiotic suspension contained nothing else but ‘talcum powder’.

My relatives appealed, cried and persuaded the crime and criminal drug store, but in vain. After three long years they arrived at a conclusion that until and unless ‘punishment’ is given by the court concerned and stern action is taken by government departments this mafia-like situation would continue to arise and it would engulf the whole system of public and private hospitals in the region.

Studies and investigations show that the huge wholesale market in Larkana that supplies medicines from Dadu to Quetta resorts to different wrong practices. It has produced negative impacts on human psychology and general behaviour.

About 250 medical stores, being supervised by local authorities, run there business without all ‘quoted standards’ fixed by the health department. Approximately 20 per cent of these stores sell spurious medicines, two per cent of them sell medicines with 50 per cent profit margin of the original prices.

Another factor must be studied that people having no lawful permission carry out these wrong practices from Lahore to Larkana. Thugs in Larkana’s wholesale market, under the influence of thugs of Lahore, have been selling these substandard drugs subtly and openly.

I appeal to the higher authorities to take special measures against such situation in Larkana where ‘dealers of death’ sell substandard medicines under the labels of ‘life-savings drugs’. Local authorities should not bargain the precious lives with a few coins and must adhere to standards. DR AYOUB SHAIKH Karachi