LAHORE
Adviser on Health Kh. Salman Rafiq has said on the direction of Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif, a centralised blood transfusion system is being introduced for the provision of healthy blood to the patients under which Regional Blood Centres (RBCs) are being set up at all divisional headquarters. He further said regional blood centres had been completed in cooperation with the German Institute G12 in Multan and Bahawalpur and steps were being taken for making these centres operational.
He said this while presiding over a high level meeting for making the role of the IBTS more effective and RBCs functional in Multan and Bahawalpur at Institute of Blood Transfusion Services (IBTS), according to a handout issued on Tuesday. Secretary Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Najum Ahmed Shah, Member P&D Dr. Shabana Haider, Additional Secretary Technical (Health) Dr. Salman Shahid, Prof. Mehfooz-ur-Rehman, Director IBTS Dr. Zafar Iqbal, Dr. Arif Tabassam, Professor of Hematology PGMI Dr. Noman and other officers attended the meeting.
Kh. Salman Rafiq stressed the need for promoting the culture of donating blood voluntarily for ensuring provision of healthy blood to the patients.
He said besides publicity campaign through media, elected representatives, social and religious personalities and people associated with showbiz would also be taken on board for creating public awareness.
The meeting was told that IBTS provided about eight lakh blood bags annually to government hospitals. Moreover, healthy blood is also provided to the children suffering from Thalassemia.
Dr. Zafar Iqbal told he media that institute had rendered services day and night during the dengue virus in 2011 and provided platelets and other blood components. He said on the special direction of chief minister Punjab, a cell separator machine was also provided for this purpose. Secretary Health Najam Ahmed Shah directed to prepare and present a presentation based on solid and practicable proposals to focus Institute of Blood Transfusion Services and making its role more effective within a week so that next strategy could be evolved.
Kh. Salman Rafique said a special campaign should be launched for motivating youth of colleges and other educational institutions for donating blood.
He said a directory of blood donors should also be prepared so that it could be used at the time of need.