Power outages in Osta Muhammad endanger public health

BALOCHISTAN: Surrounded by an intense heatwave and extended power outages, Osta Muhammad’s spoiled medicines are reported to have been sold in medical stores in the district, raising serious public health challenges, ARY News reported.

According to local health authorities, thermosensitive drugs are being stored at extreme heat, reaching up to 50°C, far above the preferred scale for pharmaceutical safety.

The heatwave impact on pharmaceuticals has been a burning question across Balochistan, with Osta Muhammad’s spoiled medicines specifically highlighted.

As per the confirmation of the District Health Officer (DHO), patients have suffered serious health problems after consuming expired medicines. “These spoiled medicines are being sold openly, and patients are at risk of life-threatening reactions,” the DHO stated.

Medical experts highlight that storage of medicines at a raised temperature can convert them into poison or even toxins. “The chemical composition of many drugs breaks down when exposed to excessive heat, especially those requiring refrigeration,” a senior pharmacist stated in Karachi.

Meanwhile, store owners defend Osta Muhammad’s spoiled medicines by stating that they cannot afford generators to maintain proper storage conditions during load shedding.

This situation reflects comparable events occurring throughout Pakistan. In recent months, authorities in Sargodha and Nawabshah have shut down several medical stores for distributing unregistered or expired medicines.

The problem is further intensified by insufficient enforcement measures and a lack of public awareness, particularly in rural communities.

In a resolute action to protect public health, the Punjab Drug Control Directorate has launched a key crackdown on counterfeit medicines in Punjab, indicating that the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to issue a national emergency warning.

According to media reports and official sources, the operation exposed counterfeit drugs in Punjab, which were being sold under the names of well-established pharmaceutical brands.

Included medicines were being sold for the treatment of fever, throat infections, fungal conditions, and gynaecological illnesses.