Punjab Health Department Bans Private Pharmacies in Public Hospitals
LAHORE: The Punjab Health Department has announced a complete ban on private pharmacies operating inside government hospitals across the province. The decision comes after reports revealed that several major hospitals were allowing private firms to run pharmacies illegally, often charging patients higher prices in collaboration with doctors and staff.
According to officials, the issue came to light when private pharmacy owners at Lahore’s Jinnah, Mayo, and Services Hospitals obtained contracts in violation of rules and later secured stay orders from civil courts to continue their businesses. In some cases, the pharmacy owners even deployed armed men to resist hospital administrations’ attempts to close them down.
An official revealed that at Mayo Hospital, the administration had previously managed to vacate a stay order and reclaim the premises with police assistance. However, the pharmacy operators returned later and resumed business, again using court orders to prolong their operations.
Ban Imposed Across Punjab
In a high-level meeting, the health department reviewed data showing that private pharmacies were running inside several public hospitals under stay orders. Following legal consultation, the department decided to impose a province-wide ban and extend full support to hospital administrations in vacating such orders and shutting down these outlets.
A formal notification stated:
“It has come to the notice of the health department that certain private pharmacies are operating within the premises of public sector hospitals. All such practices must be stopped immediately.”
The department also directed hospital heads to stop awarding contracts for pharmacy operations within hospital premises and to take immediate steps for the closure of existing illegal outlets.
Protecting Patients’ Rights
Officials say the move aims to curb the so-called ‘pharmacy mafia’, which was exploiting patients by pushing costly drugs of specific brands at higher prices. The ban is expected to help restore transparency and ensure that patients in government hospitals have affordable access to medicines without undue commercial influence.
