Shopian, Sep 1: A disturbing case has emerged from south Kashmir’s Shopian district where a 12-day-old newborn was allegedly given expired medicine, triggering panic in the family and sparking strong public anger over lax monitoring in the healthcare and drug distribution system.
According to the infant’s family, the medicine had been prescribed by a doctor for a minor eye infection. Trusting the local chemist, they purchased the drug without checking the expiry date. After administering the dose, the baby’s condition deteriorated, and the irritation in the eyes worsened instead of improving.
The parents said that their shock deepened when they returned to the same pharmacy the following day to buy a fresh pack of the medicine. “To our horror, the new pack also turned out to be past its expiry date. This shows how recklessly expired stock is being sold in the market,” the family said, holding both the chemist and the Drug Control Department responsible for negligence.
Local residents voiced outrage, accusing the authorities of turning a blind eye to such grave violations.
“There is virtually no accountability. Drug inspectors rarely visit the ground, and this negligence is putting innocent lives at stake. Had the parents not noticed the date, the consequences could have been even worse,” a resident said.
Following the uproar, the concerned authorities swung into action and sealed the chemist shop where the expired medicines were being sold.
Officials also assured that investigation has been taken up and strict legal action would be taken against those involved. (KNO)
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