LAHORE: The provincial health department has finalised new rates for the sale and purchase of cardiac stents.
A coronary stent is a tube-shaped device placed in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, to keep the arteries open in the treatment of coronary heart disease.
According to an official notification, a central purchase committee supervised the bid and new rates were approved at Rs30,500 for drug-eluting stents and Rs13,250 for bare metal stents.
In 2017, the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) had taken notice of the supply of substandard stents to cardiac patients at high prices.
It was observed that hospitals’ administration in connivance with suppliers and manufacturers used unregistered cardiac stents and sold at an exorbitant price of 250,000 each.
It was also observed that the local production of cardiac stents never took place in the country even after the funds for this purpose were released by the government.
