In a big cardiac health scare, the Pakistan Institute of Cardiology, Lahore has been given the supply of used tubes along with oxygenators used during heart procedures, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Friday.

It has been revealed that the PIC purchased 600 oxygenators. But on inspection, it transpired that used tubes were given with 100 oxygenators. The supplier after cleaning used tubes repacked them and sent them to the hospital. 

The PIC was told that the tubes were imported. 

The PIC made a purchase order of around Rs60 million. 

The hospital management has sealed the used tubes and the institute’s pharmacist ordered an inquiry into the matter.

The use of these secondhand tubes during heart procedures might endanger lives of patients as there is already a high risk of infection during cardiac surgeries at the PIC.

Reporter Zahid Chaudhry