DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Adviser to the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Health and Population, Lieutenant General (retd) Nigar Johar, has reviewed preparations for the launch of five modern mobile drug screening laboratories aimed at strengthening the monitoring of medicines and curbing the sale of substandard and counterfeit drugs across the province.
The five mobile laboratory vans will be inaugurated at Governor House next Tuesday, officials informed her during a visit to the Directorate General of Drug Control and Pharmacy Services, Health Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
During the visit, the adviser inspected various sections of the directorate and received a detailed briefing on its administrative affairs, quality testing of medicines and measures being taken to ensure the availability of safe and effective drugs to the public.
She also examined the five mobile drug screening laboratories, which are equipped with modern scientific technology and are being introduced for the first time in the province’s history to facilitate on-the-spot testing of medicines.
Officials said the mobile laboratories were equipped with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman technology, enabling preliminary on-site screening of the chemical composition, ingredients and strength of medicines against prescribed standards.
The mobile units will be deployed across different divisions of the province, allowing drug inspectors to conduct on-the-spot screening of medicines in markets and other locations.
If any suspicious or substandard medicines are detected during preliminary screening, samples will be collected and sent to the Drug Testing Laboratory in Peshawar for detailed analysis and further action.
The officials said the initiative would help identify substandard, suspicious and counterfeit medicines at an early stage, improve the capacity of drug inspectors and strengthen the overall monitoring of pharmaceutical products. It would also enable authorities to prioritise suspicious samples for detailed laboratory testing.
Appreciating the use of modern technology and the initiatives taken by the Health Department, Lt Gen (retd) Nigar Johar said ensuring the availability of safe, quality and effective medicines was fundamental to protecting public health.
She said the establishment of mobile laboratories would strengthen the provincial drug regulatory system and help protect people from the potential health risks associated with substandard medicines.
