KARACHI, May 25: The Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority has issued notices to some 50 blood banks across the province for immediate closure of their operations, as their services had not been found up to the mark.
Dr Farhana Memon, Provincial Manager of the SBTA, talking to the APP on Tuesday, said that till date, only eight blood banks - six from Karachi and two from Sukkur - in the province, could qualify for extension in registration with the authority, while another 100 case of registration were being reviewed by the SBTA.
The blood banks, which got their registrations extended under the SBTA, include the PWA Blood Bank at Civil Hospital, one each operating at the Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre and Civil Hospital, Sukkur, besides Hussaini Blood Bank, Fatimid Blood Bank, Pakistan Blood Bank, Sukkur Blood Bank and one at Naushiro Firoz.
Dr Memon said that coordinated efforts on part of Law department, Home department and local governments were required to ensure that the SBTA directives were actually implemented and the blood banks declared unfit due to not fulfilling the set criteria were not operating.
She said that in this regard a meeting had been scheduled for June 7, to be chaired by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, to finalize the strategies for implementation of the SBTA's directives.
Answering a question, she said necessary action on registration requests received from some 100 blood banks was being delayed due to the absence of any logistic support at the disposal of the authority, besides the acute shortage of man power it was facing.
Dr Memon mentioned that due to Sindh governor's keen interest in ensuring safe and quality blood transfusion facilities for the citizens, the situation was expected to improve.
She said in present circumstances the monitoring of the existing blood banks was being affected, adding that, however, the mushroom growth of these banks had been checked through the ban imposed on establishment of such outlets.
"Idea is to cut down the 600 blood banks, currently estimated to be functioning across the province, to some 200," she said, mentioning that the problem was experienced in the cities like Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkhur, Nawabshah and Larkana, where teaching hospitals were located.
With regard to monitoring of the blood banks, she also mentioned the appointment of focal persons at district level, adding that they had been quite judicious in their approach. She also pointed out that there were more than 300 blood banks operating in Karachi. - APP
