Pimpri Chinchwad Civic Body Recalls Massive Batch of Vitamin B Tablets Following Patient Alert
The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has initiated a major recall of more than 150,000 tablets used to treat Vitamin B deficiency. This decisive action was taken after a patient at the Thergaon Civil Hospital reported a concerning change in the medicine's appearance on Monday.
Patient's Observation Triggers Immediate Response
According to officials from the PCMC's medical department, the alert was raised when a patient who had been prescribed "B Complex" tablets noticed that one tablet within a strip had turned completely black. The patient promptly informed the hospital authorities, setting off a chain of safety measures.
Laxman Gophane, the head of PCMC's medical department, stated that instructions were issued immediately to halt the distribution of the entire batch across all civic hospitals. The matter was escalated to the supplier without delay. Hospitals under the municipal corporation have been directed to submit their existing stock to the store department for further investigation.
Supply Chain and Safety Protocols Under Scrutiny
Sources revealed that the supplier in question provides nearly twelve different types of medicines to the civic body. Officials clarified that, as no complaints have been received regarding the other medicines, their supply remains unaffected at this time.
Gophane emphasized the corporation's commitment to safety, noting, "We have asked officials of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to test the samples to ensure the safety of citizens, though no other complaint has been received from across the city." He further explained that only suppliers whose medicines are tested at NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accredited labs are authorized to supply medicines to the civic body.
FDA Steps In for Comprehensive Analysis
Girish Hukare, joint commissioner of the FDA, confirmed to media that samples have been collected and will be sent for detailed analysis to a laboratory in either Mumbai or Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. "The civic administration has been asked to stop supplying the medicine until the test reports are received," he stated firmly.
Another FDA official indicated that a comprehensive report from the laboratory might take approximately two months to be finalized, highlighting the thoroughness of the investigation process.
Impact on Patients and Distribution
A PCMC official disclosed that the civic body distributes between 800,000 to 900,000 B Complex tablets every month across its network of hospitals. With the distribution of this specific batch halted, the administration is ensuring that patients continue to receive necessary treatment. "As distribution of this batch has been halted, an alternative medicine will be supplied to patients," the official assured, underscoring the priority placed on uninterrupted healthcare services.
This incident underscores the critical importance of vigilant monitoring and rapid response mechanisms in public health systems to safeguard community well-being.
