21:33
Unknown
Rawalpindi
The sale of medicines without prescription in the city is being considered as a major factor behind increase in number of suicide attempts.
The number of cases of misuse of poisonous substances is consistently on the rise mainly because the district health department has been doing nothing significant to check their open sale.
The health experts believe that by giving due attention to the issue and by taking strict action to check over the counter sale of a number of medicines and toxic substances, the concerned government authorities can check increasing number of suicide attempt cases.
The most common medicines which are used by patients for attempting suicide include sleeping pills, aspirin, paracetamol, anti-depressants and anti-diabetic medicines and one can easily arrange these from any market of the town without any prescription, said Chairman General Council of Young Doctors Association Punjab Dr. Muhammad Haroon while talking to ‘The News’ on Monday.
He added that the list of medicines that may cause death is very long and almost all these medicines can easily be purchased from market. He added that the data collected by the YDA on the subject has revealed that the number of cases of suicide attempts in town have been on the rise for the last five years.
“The allied hospitals received 740 cases of suicide attempts in 2009, 804 cases in 2010, 860 in 2011, while 1014 cases of suicide attempts so far in 2012 have been reported at the allied hospitals in town,” said Dr. Haroon. He added that the single most important cause behind rise in cases of suicide attempts is over the counter sale of medicines and toxic chemicals.
He said that rules and regulations for sale of medicines do exist, but the concerned authorities are not working seriously for their implementation. The pharmacists and chemists do not follow the rules and it can be witnessed in any market of the town, he alleged.
To a query, he said that in a number of cases of suicide attempts, the relatives of the patient avoid police investigations because of which, the real culprits, pharmacists and chemists violating drug act could not be brought to justice.
“It is important that over five million cases of suicide are reported around the globe every year and Pakistan is among those countries where suicide is among top ten causes of death,” said Dr. Haroon.
He said that despite increase in number of cases of suicide attempts, there has been given no attention to the establishment of toxicology units at public sector hospitals in the province. “The YDA demands the government to establish toxicology units at hospitals in all major cities of the province and medico legal investigations should be made mandatory in all cases of suicide attempts,” he said.
Executive District Officer (Health) Dr. Zafar Iqbal Gondal, when contacted by ‘The News’ on Monday, said that the health department is working hard to check sale of medicines without prescription. He, however, added that he would issue directives to the concerned officials to take strict action against those involved in sale of medicines without prescription.
The sale of medicines without prescription in the city is being considered as a major factor behind increase in number of suicide attempts.
The number of cases of misuse of poisonous substances is consistently on the rise mainly because the district health department has been doing nothing significant to check their open sale.
The health experts believe that by giving due attention to the issue and by taking strict action to check over the counter sale of a number of medicines and toxic substances, the concerned government authorities can check increasing number of suicide attempt cases.
The most common medicines which are used by patients for attempting suicide include sleeping pills, aspirin, paracetamol, anti-depressants and anti-diabetic medicines and one can easily arrange these from any market of the town without any prescription, said Chairman General Council of Young Doctors Association Punjab Dr. Muhammad Haroon while talking to ‘The News’ on Monday.
He added that the list of medicines that may cause death is very long and almost all these medicines can easily be purchased from market. He added that the data collected by the YDA on the subject has revealed that the number of cases of suicide attempts in town have been on the rise for the last five years.
“The allied hospitals received 740 cases of suicide attempts in 2009, 804 cases in 2010, 860 in 2011, while 1014 cases of suicide attempts so far in 2012 have been reported at the allied hospitals in town,” said Dr. Haroon. He added that the single most important cause behind rise in cases of suicide attempts is over the counter sale of medicines and toxic chemicals.
He said that rules and regulations for sale of medicines do exist, but the concerned authorities are not working seriously for their implementation. The pharmacists and chemists do not follow the rules and it can be witnessed in any market of the town, he alleged.
To a query, he said that in a number of cases of suicide attempts, the relatives of the patient avoid police investigations because of which, the real culprits, pharmacists and chemists violating drug act could not be brought to justice.
“It is important that over five million cases of suicide are reported around the globe every year and Pakistan is among those countries where suicide is among top ten causes of death,” said Dr. Haroon.
He said that despite increase in number of cases of suicide attempts, there has been given no attention to the establishment of toxicology units at public sector hospitals in the province. “The YDA demands the government to establish toxicology units at hospitals in all major cities of the province and medico legal investigations should be made mandatory in all cases of suicide attempts,” he said.
Executive District Officer (Health) Dr. Zafar Iqbal Gondal, when contacted by ‘The News’ on Monday, said that the health department is working hard to check sale of medicines without prescription. He, however, added that he would issue directives to the concerned officials to take strict action against those involved in sale of medicines without prescription.
Posted in: Islamabad
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