Dr Yasmin Rashid announces reforms in blood transfusion services

LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid announced here Friday complete reinvigoration of the Blood Transfusion Authority and Institute of Blood Transfusion Services. The minister announced that the administrative control of the blood banks shall be handed over to designated authorities in the respective teaching hospitals.

The minister chaired an important meeting at the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department. Present in the meeting were Secretary Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department Amir Jan, Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Sarah Aslam, Additional Secretary Development SH&ME Dr Asif Tufail, Additional Secretary Technical Dr Salman Shahid, Secretary Punjab Blood Transfusion Authority Dr Shahnaz Akhtar, Professor Javed Chaudhry and officials of the Institute of Blood Transfusion Services. Secretary BTA Dr Shahnaz Akhtar presented progress of the Authority as the minister reviewed measures to improve performance.

The minister said, “The Punjab Blood Transfusion Authority and Institute of Blood Transfusion Services will be reconstructed on modern lines and the purpose of new reforms is to ensure improved services for patients. The development of a transparent system of blood transfusion shall be ensured. All the blood banks are functional at 27 DHQs and 134 THQs of Punjab. In the next three months, all blood banks shall be handed over to the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department.

A committee comprising officials of the P&SH Department and SH&ME Department, vice-chancellors and principals is being constituted for the process. Legislation is being done against illegal blood banks. The BTA is registering more and more public and private blood banks. Every blood bank is given licence for one year. The blood screening will be shifted from ICT to Clia method. Steps shall be taken to develop district blood transfusion committees. The Punjab BTA must be provided all resources and vehicles. The blood banks shall be linked with bio-safety labs of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department. Strong coordination between P&SHD and SH&ME Department is key to improved performance of blood banks. The purpose of all these measures is to ensure safe transfusion of blood.”

Secretary SH&ME Department Amir Jan said, Punjab Blood Transfusion Authority may serve as a training institute and all staff must be trained on safe transfusion. Secretary P&SH department Sarah Aslam said her department would work in coordination with the SH&ME Department and by enhancing the capacity of the BTA, safe transfusion of blood can be ensure.