Yasmin reviews Blood Transfusion Services’ performance

LAHORE:Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has ordered to make three new regional blood banks fully functional.

The minister gave these directions while chairing a meeting of the Institute of Blood Transfusion Services Punjab at the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department here on Wednesday.

Special Secretary Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Silwat Saeed, Additional Secretary Development Dr Asif Tufail, Additional Secretary (Technical) Dr Salman Shahid, Fatima Jinnah Medical University Vice-Chancellor Professor Amir Zaman Khan, Blood Transfusion Authority Punjab Secretary Ms Shahnaz Naeem, Dr Shahid Mahmood and other officers were present on the occasion.

The minister reviewed performance of the Institute of Blood Transfusion Services Punjab as well. The minister said that the government was reviewing the performance of all blood banks of Punjab. Training courses of Hematologists must soon begin in Punjab, she said, adding she had asked secretary Blood Transfusion Authority to visit all blood banks and share report on their performance. The blood banks of Mayo and General Hospitals have been upgraded whereas new blood bank has been set up in Faisalabad, she added.

The minister said that hiring must be made on vacant positions in the blood banks. Training sessions for hematologists are about to be started. SOPs are being strictly implemented for safe transfusion of blood. The recommendations of Faisalabad Medical University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Zafar Chaudhry must be incorporated for improved strategies. Registration of all blood banks is being ensured and action will be taken against unregistered blood banks, she concluded.

HIV/AIDS patients: Provincial Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid on Wednesday said the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department was providing free-of-cost diagnostics, treatment and counselling services to more than 11,500 patients of HIV/AIDS in the province.

She stated this while highlighting the importance of patient confidentiality at a seminar on “Role of Media in HIV/AIDS Awareness” at a local hotel. The minister appreciated Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Secretary Captain (r) Usman Younis for holding such event for awareness on the important topic.

"We have decided to provide free HIV/AIDS medicines to private sector as well," she added. She said transmission of HIV/AIDs could be prevented and patients could live normal lives by using medicines.

"Recently we have conducted HIV/AIDS tests of TB patients and HIV/AIDS tests have been made mandatory for TB patients,” she added. She said the Punjab government was providing treatment to the patients by keeping their records confidential. “In order to facilitate patients of co-infections by ensuring confidentiality of the patients, the government has started Insaf Medicines Cards," she added.

She said the next generation sequencing machine had been introduced in the province which would help in development of vaccines as well. The minister said that as many as 22 new BSL-3 labs were set up in Punjab during coronavirus pandemic.

She stated that the AIDS centres would be expanded to 36 districts from 16 districts under Punjab AIDS Control Programme. On the occasion, Health Secretary Usman Younis said that provision of right information to the media was being ensured.

He appreciated the role of the media in creating awareness about diseases in the people. He said the government had decided to introduce auto-disabled syringes to control blood-borne infections. Punjab AIDS Control Programme Project Director Dr Muneer Ahmed Malik apprised the participants of the services provided by the Punjab AIDS Control Programme. A large number of journalists attended the seminar.