KARACHI, July 4: Parliamentarians reaffirmed their support for the cause of safe blood transfusion through proper screening and testing facilities for patients suffering from thalassaemia. MNAs Mohammad Hussain Mehenti and Sardar Nabeel Ahmed Gabol attending a forum on “Safe blood transfusion, thalassaemia and the need for blood donors” conducted by Husaini Blood Bank in collaboration with the Kamil Gali here on Sunday assured to support the proposition for mandatory blood screening for all donors across the country.

Mohammad Hussain said that the first step towards blood safety was to encourage blood donations which were voluntary, non-remunerated and obtained from low-risk and regular donors.

A regular donor was the one who donated blood at least once a year, Nabeel Gabol said maintaining that through awareness programmes voluntary blood donors could be expected to come forward and support various organizations for the noble cause.

Pathologists and paediatricians said that despite a careful donor selection programme, some donors might be sero-positive for HIV or other infectious agents, which was why rigorous screening of all donated blood was crucial to ensure safety of the blood supply. They said that transmission of infections and disease like HIV and hepatitis through transfusion of infected blood and blood products could be easily prevented via a complete and effective screening process. According to them, a complete screening process includes blood grouping, ensuring compatibility of the donor and the recipient, as well as testing for transfusion-transmitted agents.

“With diseases like thalassaemia rapidly on the rise today, safe blood is the core need of the hour,” Dr Sarfaraz Jafri of Hussaini Blood Bank stated adding that it is therefore essential to screen all blood donations in the most sensitive and specific ways.

All participants of the programme unanimously resolved need for effective screening of blood, which is mandatory for providing safe blood. —APP