Faulty medicines worth Rs 24 lakh recalled in statewide crackdown across Karnataka: Report
Bengaluru: In a crackdown on poor-quality pharmaceuticals, Karnataka's Drug Administration Department has recalled faulty medicines worth Rs 24.3 lakh from the market. This follows a inspection and testing drive carried out in February and March across the state, aimed at safeguarding public health.
According to a report by the Times of India, drug inspectors collected thousands of medicine samples from pharmacies across Karnataka and sent them to government labs in Bengaluru, Hubballi, and Ballari for analysis. In March alone, 1,891 samples were tested, and 41 failed to meet quality standards.
The crackdown followed a series of maternal deaths reported at Ballari District Hospital raised alarms about the safety of drugs administered during C-section procedures. Investigations revealed that several batches of Ringer lactate IV fluids—commonly used during surgeries—were potentially linked to the fatalities. Out of 196 batches tested, 113 were found to be substandard, prompting legal action against 78 manufacturers, added the report.
Additionally, the drug control officers also inspected 2,078 medical shops across Karnataka, leading to the suspension of 215 drug licences due to various violations.
The drugs that most commonly failed quality tests include formulations of paracetamol, sodium chloride injections, levocetirizine, azithromycin, metformin, vitamin D3, and iron-folic acid supplements.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao emphasised that public safety remains a top priority. “We have taken legal action against those responsible and recalled all 41 drugs that failed the quality tests,” he said.
The minister also highlighted the need for a more robust tracking system to monitor the movement of drugs in the market. "I have always stressed the need for a system that flags poor-quality drugs so they can be removed completely from the market," TOI quoted Rao as saying.
He added a new system will be rolled out shortly which will store details of retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, and their authorised agents. "This will help us trace and eliminate substandard drugs at every stage more efficiently," Rao added.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
