Amraiz Khan
Lahore
Life of more than 5000 cancer patients mostly bed ridden have been put at risk after multinational company discontinued the supply of medicine due to non-clearance of pending huge payments by Punjab government.
The patients have no alternative medicine in the local market, said a health official. Unfortunately, he said, a majority of the patients was either bed-ridden or living in miserable condition as they were dependent on the medicine.
This medicine was being supplied by the company free of cost for five major hospitals of the province. They are Mayo Hospital, Lahore; Allied Hospital, Faisalabad; Nishtar Hospital, Multan; and Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi; besides Jinnah Hospital, Lahore.
The management of the multinational pharmaceutical company Novartis has written a letter to the Punjab government seeking clearance of the pending payments.
The letter says, “This is with reference to the last meeting held in Committee Room of Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Department dated 17th December 2019.
Wherein, the issues regarding longstanding decision on the clearance of pending payments and signing of MoU of Punjab CML Project were discussed at length. The meeting ended on the note that the decisions regarding both the issues i.e. Clearance of Pending Payments and Clarity of Roadmap of Punjab CML Project shall be communicated in 15 days”.
However so far, no communication to our firm has been made in this context which has created uncertainty among all stake holders. Novartis Pharma has extended its utmost assistance to ensure the continuity of the Punjab CML Project in shape of provision of Free of Cost (FOC) medicines since past one and half year even when Government has not fulfilled its agreed upon contribution.
We have been continuously meeting with Health Officials for the last one year but without any conclusive outcome. It was informed to the worthy members that since July 2018 till June 2019, we have contributed PKR 12,079,653,850/- as Free of Cost medicines to the Patients enrolled in Punjab CML Project. Not only Novartis has provided its full part as per agreement to the registered patients but also provided the medicine where Government’s Contribution was due. In addition, we ensured the provision of Free of Cost medicines to even those patients who have completed their one year’s therapy and have not received Government’s part to date.
In response thereto, we were informed that necessary action shall be taken in the light of decision of Standing Committee of Cabinet on Development & Finance. We were also requested to continue the provision of Medicines to the patients. Even after the Satisfactory Report of the Audit Firm hired by Government of the Punjab and directions of the Standing Committee of Cabinet on Development & Finance to clear pending payments and submit revised MoU within one Month, no action has been taken so far.
Novartis has always supported Government in the noble cause and in reply to the request made by Government of the Punjab, ensured non-stop provision of medicines to the Patients till this date. But, keeping in view the above facts, we regret to inform you that it is an insuperable task for us to continue the provision of medicine and we would like to submit that from 1st January 2020, Novartis Oncology will no longer be able to provide Free of Cost Medicines to the Cancer Patients until the clearance of pending liabilities (Amounting to 2,236 Million:1,164 Million for FY 2018-19 and 1,072 Million for FY 2019-20) and clarity of the roadmap till signing of MoU.
