LAHORE: An inquiry committee investigating the implantation of purportedly expired stents into heart patients at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) on Thursday held 21 doctors, 19 nurses and two pharmacists responsible for the scam.
The issue came to light last year in a letter Dr Shoaib Aslam, deputy medical superintendent (stores) of the facility, wrote to the medical superintendent.
The committee recommended action against the responsible under Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability Act (PEEDA) Act.
Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has approved action against the suspects in line with the recommendations of the inquiry report.
The committee will seek responses from the accused within 14 days and will take action under the law.
Earlier, a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) report revealed 38 patients had been inserted as many expired stents in 2021 alone.
The preliminary report of the agency on the use of expired stents stated that 500 stents were bought from a private company in 2019.
The stock was supposed to be utilised in 2020 but they were continued to be used even after 19 months of its expiry.
The report revealed that despite the availability of stents, the PIC kept on demanding the same from other hospitals that show the element of malice in the case as evidence, the report read.
