Dozens of diabetic patients loss eyesight after getting injection

LAHORE: Dozens of people have lost eyesight after being administered a locally manufactured injection called “Avastin” in different hospitals in the province of Punjab.

It has been learnt that diabetic patients in different cities such as Jhang, Lahore, Kasur and Rawalpindi were administered Avastin injections to address retinal damage. 

However, these injections led to severe infections, ultimately resulting in the loss of eyesight of approximately 12 patients, including a brother of senior PPP leader Chaudhry Manzoor and his friend. 

In Kasur, four individuals identified as Chaudhry Shabbir, Main Aslam, Taufeeq, and Nasrin Bibi, also suffered irreversible vision loss.

Over the incident, Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir took notice and constituted a committee to probe the matter.

The committee is led by King Edward Medical University Vice Chancellor Dr. Asad Aslam Khan and consists of Director General Drugs Control Muhammad Sohail, Mayo Hospital’s Dr. Muhammad Moin, Lahore General Hospital’s Dr. Tayyaba and Services Hospital’s Prof Dr. Mohsin as members.

Injections recalled

Meanwhile, the avastin injections have been recalled from the markets on the direction of the federal government, said federal minister for health Dr Nadeem Jan. 

The minister also said a case has been registered against the suppliers of the injections.