KARACHI, Nov 21: South Asian experts in blood transfusion medicines at a two-day conference held here on Friday called for expansion of voluntary blood donation system and improving quality of blood and its by-products.

They also underlined the role of trained manpower in blood transfusion sector, and stressed the need for awareness at all levels to contain transfusion-associated infections and to ensure appropriate and rational use of blood.

The 6th annual international conference of South Asian Association of Transfusion Medicine (SAATM) was organised in collaboration with the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS).

Speaking as chief guest at the inaugural ceremony, DHUS Vice-Chancellor Prof Masood Hameed Khan said that blood transfusion services had grown as a distinct sub-specialty of medicine. “As such, we in Pakistan and in other Saarc countries need to make revolutionary endeavours in provision of safe blood to patients,” he said.

He announced that the DUHS would soon start a two-year postgraduate diploma in transfusion medicine with the cooperation of SAATM, which had agreed to provide expertise regarding curriculum development and visiting faculty for teaching purposes.

SAATM secretary-general Dr N. Choudhury, said that his organisation was working for development of projects based totally on voluntary blood donations. It had undertaken an active manpower development programme in collaboration with Bhutan, he said, adding that the programme could also be extended to other Saarc countries.

Presenting the status report of blood transfusion in her country, Dr Mahrukh Getshen from Bhutan said that her country, the smallest in Asia with a population of about 671,000 souls, had a collection of 7,526 blood units from 22 blood banks as of 2007. She said there were 29 hospitals with over 1,100 beds and 150 doctors in her country. The collection of blood units, she added, comprised 40 per cent voluntary donations and 60 per cent replacement donations. The donors comprised students, civil servants, business people, monks, housewives, etc. She further stated that no separate budget was allocated for blood transfusion. All blood units were subject to HIV, hepatitis B, C and syphilis tests.

In a presentation on blood transfusion in Bangladesh, it was stated that the number of professional blood donors had fallen to 18 per cent while the number of voluntary donors and relative donors had increased from 10 to 31 per cent and 20 to 53 per cent, respectively.

Bangladesh Transfusion Service was trying to ensure an up to the mark trained manpower, increase in the relevant staff and safety measures for all categories blood bank employees by educating and motivating the workers to follow the universal safety precaution, it was further said.

Dr KKS Kuruppu from Sri Lanka said that the National Blood Transfusion Service was committed to and working towards a safe blood collection system based on 100 voluntary and non-remunerated blood donors. “Paid donation is not allowed in my country that also discourages replacement donation system,” he said.He stated that there were 71 hospital-based blood banks across the country while the blood donation as of 2007 stood at 260,212 units, and was expected to go up to 300,000 units by the end of 2008.

SAARM vice-president Dr V. P. Gupta from India, Dr Zahid Hasan Ansari of the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority and Dow Medical College principal Dr Salahuddin Azfar also spoke.