12 September 2004	Sunday	26 Rajab 1425

KARACHI, Sept 11: Some expired blood bags were recovered from a blood bank during a surprise inspection conducted by officials of the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA) on Saturday.

The expired blood bags, recovered from a hospital in Defence, were likely to be sold to patients suffering from heart problems, Dr Kamran Awan of the SBTA told Dawn. He said he was one of the officials who conducted the raid.

He said Dr Farhana Memon, chief of the SBTA, was present during the inspection too. The name of the other official was Dr Shafi Mohammad Rahu.

Answering a question, Dr Awan said in the last few days a number of unregistered blood banks had been inspected. "Of these, two did not meet internationally-recognized standards. Both the facilities are situated in Clifton," he explained.

Dr Awan said there were at least three others which were found to be satisfactory. Reports were being formulated for each of the blood banks inspected, he said.

Asked if some steps would be taken against the unregistered blood banks which dealt in expired blood, the deputy chief of the SBTA said: "Of course, we are planning to take tough measures against such blood banks."

Elaborating, Dr Awan said a meeting was likely to take place early next week at which the members and officials of the SBTA would deliberate upon each of the cases. "More than 20 cases would be presented, after which it would be decided if the defaulting blood banks should be sealed or not."

He disclosed that Faisal Malik, adviser to the chief minister on health, was likely to chair the meeting. "Other senior officials who will attend the meeting include the health secretary and the law secretary."

Dr Awan expressed the fear that some blood banks regularly sold blood of dubious quality to patients or their attendants, thereby fuelling the incidence of blood-borne diseases.

Meanwhile, expired blood bags had been uncovered earlier this week and last week as well, following surprise inspections of a few unregistered blood banks. One of the blood banks dealing in expired blood was situated near the Taj Medical Complex and the other one in Kharadar.

After the expired blood bags had been discovered, the two defaulting blood banks were served notices.

The SBTA officials had sought to inspect a blood bank in Nazimabad but were denied entry by the management. This case will be discussed in the upcoming meeting.