KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday issued notices to provincial authorities on a petition about a reported shortage of blood for patients of thalassaemia and haemophilia due to the ongoing lockdown in the province.

A two-judge SHC bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar put the chief secretary, home and health secretaries, director general of the provincial disaster management authority (PDMA) and additional advocate general on notice for April 3.

After hearing arguments of the petitioner, the bench allowed an application seeking urgent hearing of the petition and ruled that exemption granted subject to all just exceptions.

It also directed the additional secretary-health to be in attendance on the next date.

SHC is asked to grant exemption to major blood banks from lockdown

The petitioner, Advocate Tariq Mansoor, submitted that availability and supply of blood to thousands of children and aged patients suffering from thalassaemia and haemophilia had been felt not only in the metropolis but also in other parts of the province during the lockdown imposed by the provincial government.

He claimed that there would be a severe shortage of blood donations since a major source of blood collections was students of schools, colleges and universities, but all educational institutions had already been closed for almost a month due to the outbreak of coronavirus (Covid-19).

The petitioner also argued that as per some media reports, majority of blood banks in the city including two major blood support providers were in shortage of blood as 50 per cent of the blood collections had declined due to the lockdown and thereafter, the lives of thousands of patients in Sindh were at risk.

He added that it could be verified from the management of the leading blood support providers as well as the thalassaemia centres of the city.

He submitted that the petitioner was unable to find any other efficacious and adequate lawful remedy available and therefore invoked the jurisdiction of the SHC under Article 199(1)(a)(i) & (c) read with Article-9, 5(2), 4, 38 of the Constitution for the enforcement of guaranteed fundamental rights of these people.

While impleading the provincial chief secretary, home and health secretaries and the director general of the PDMA as respondents, the petitioner sought immediate directions for them to take urgent steps and grant exemption from lockdown/restrictions to major registered and certified blood banks of the province.

He also asked the court to direct the respondents to arrange and facilitate blood donations/collection points and camps throughout the province in collaboration with authorised officials of leading

registered and certified blood banks with strict precautionary measures and monitoring as well as screening of Covid-19 of blood donors.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2020