Husaini Blood Bank in collaboration with Association of Health Journalists Pakistan (AHJP), National Blood Transfusion Program (NBTP), Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA) and World Health Organization (WHO) organized a Capacity Building Workshop for health journalist on ‘Blood Safety’ at Hussani Blood Bank Centre Karachi.
Dr. Khalid Hussain Shaikh, Additional Health Secretary speaking as the Chief Guest on the occasion said that there is need to create awareness regarding voluntary blood donation and for that media role is very important. Media should mobilize the community and appreciate the voluntary blood donors.
Dr. Suresh Kumar, Special Health Secretary said that blood component should be addressed separately. Blood centres are being established throughout the country to cope the need of safe blood. He also appreciated the role of Hussani Blood Bank.
Dr. Hasan Abbas Zaher, National Program Manager, National Blood Transfusion Project (NBTP) gave a brief overview of recent Blood Safety Reform Initiative. He said that to cope the country’s blood need, 13 centralized blood banks will be established in Karachi, Sukkur, Nawabshah and Jamshoro as well as in other provinces with the support of German Government. A capacity of 50,000 bags at Karachi’s blood banks and of 20,000 at blood banks in other cities of the province will be ensured from it. The government of Germany will provide 15 million euros for this project. Besides establishing new blood banks, the existing ones in various cities across Pakistan would be renovated and upgraded under the same project.
Dr. Zahid Hasan Ansari, Provincial Programme Manager, National Blood Transfusion Project speaking on the occasion said that there are only 37 government blood banks in 23 districts of Sindh. The Provincial Health Department has registered 77 private blood banks so far and local non-governmental organisations are running 34 of them. There were around 1,000 unregistered blood banks across the province a few years ago and they were violating the basic blood transfusion laws. In the recent years, crackdown is made on illegal blood bank due to which many of them have been shut down.
Dr. Syed Sarfaraz H. Jafry, Administrator, Hussani Blood Bank in Pakistan, 2.6 million blood units are needed every year. The major reciepient of blood are thalaseminar major who need at an average 18 – 20 units per year. There are various step taken to ensure optimum safety of blood. These consist of proper selection of blood donor, storage, pre-transfusion testing procedure, laboratory screening etc.
He further said that WHO made five laboratory test mandatory which includes, HBV, HCV,HIV, Malaria and Syphilis. Blood donation is a complete safe procedure and all major illnesses are picked up very early in regular blood doors.
Dr. Saeed Ahmed of Hussani Blood Bank said that in almost 90 percent of cases patients are transfused whole blood despite giving the required components which could lead to further complications which is not recommended worldwide. Transfusing specific components of the blood can save more lives. He said that a human body has 67 milligrammes of blood per kilogram of weight and if a person loses up to 13 percent of blood, nothing will happen to him. However, for a bag of blood, we need only 6 percent of blood. Therefore, everyone must donate a bag of blood at least once a year.
Akhter Shaheen Rind, General Secretary-AHJP underlined the role of media as a major stakeholder in blood safety. Others who spoke on the occasion include Tufail Ahmed, President-AHJP, Aamar Guriro.