20 blood banks functioning in capital: minister

Islamabad: Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Friday informed the Senate that 20 private and public blood banks were functioning in the federal capital.

Replying to a calling attention notice of Senator Sherry Rehman, the minister said that on receiving complaints, the government has stopped functioning of six blood banks in the federal capital.

He said that the Islamabad blood transfusion authority regularly conduct visits to these blood banks to examine the services and equipment used for blood transfusion. The minister said that best services were available at public blood banks as Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has state-of-the-art machinery for blood transfusion and blood screening.

He however, said that there were complaints regarding standard of private blood banks and said that no one will be allowed to play with the health of people. The minister said that a report has been submitted to the committee concerned on carrying of HIV by two children during blood transfusion.

He added it was not confirmed that from where they got HIV infection as they received blood from many blood banks of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Earlier, on her calling attention notice, Senator Sherry Rehman said that according to media reports contaminated blood was being used by the health facilities for transfusion of blood in the Islamabad Capital Territory.