ISLAMABAD: Polyclinic has decided to provide all patients blood without asking them to replace it for three days starting Wednesday in connection with World Blood Donors Day which is observed on June 14 each year.

“This will be the case only for patients who are admitted to the hospital and require blood,” said in-charge of the blood bank, Dr Sharif Astori.

World Blood Donors Day is observed each year to pay tribute to all the voluntary blood donors who donate their blood throughout the year so that millions of lives are saved. The theme for this year is ‘Be there for someone else. Give blood. Share life’.

Dr Astori said that by Wednesday afternoon, 12 units of blood were provided to patients’ attendants who wanted blood for their relatives.

‘No replacement’ condition will remain in place for three days in connection with Blood Donors Day

“We will continue to give blood without replacement on Thursday and Friday. We get around 10,000 donations of blood a year and we only provide unconditional blood- that is without asking attendants to replace it- to thalassaemia patients,” he said.

Hospitals and blood banks require attendants to replace the blood used by patients because there is no trend for blood donation. Dr Astori said one person can donate blood three or four times a year.

According to a statement released by the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), the hospital transfused 30,000 units of blood to patients during the last one year. These included patients of gynae, hepatitis, thalassaemia, road traffic accidents, chronic kidney failure, dialysis and burn patients. The statement said only 4pc of the blood was given voluntarily and that most of it was obtained via family donation.

People are requested to give blood voluntarily in any hospital in Pakistan to save lives. Those between the ages of 18 and 55 can give blood three times a year, the statement says and that the latest machines for screening blood and separating platelets and plasma are installed in the blood bank of the hospital.

Pims Executive Director Dr Raja Amjad has approved a new plan for arranging blood donation camps across the city. Dr Amjad said Pims has one of the few blood screening machines in Pakistan and that the hospital blood bank provides blood in emergencies round the clock.

The statement says that 5pc of the donors were diagnosed with various diseases after their blood was screened and that they were advised to seek treatment. These diseases include hepatitis B and C, malaria, Aids and syphilis.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2018