SWABI, Feb 12: The provincial Health Regularity Authority (HRA) on Tuesday sealed the blood banks of three private hospitals for non-registration and failing to meet the health department’s requirements.

Officials in the health department told Dawn that the HRA took the action on public complaints and sealed the blood banks of Jamal Medical Centre, Muhammad Sardar Memorial Hospital and Gohar Medical Centre because they failed to meet the health department’s criteria for blood banks.

The officials said, an HRA team led by deputy director Dr Amir Rehman and assistant director Dr Naseem raided the three hospitals located in front of the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ), Swabi, and sealed their blood banks as they did not have licences and fell short of meeting the health requirements. Executive District Officer (EDO) health Sabz Ali Khan Yousafzai also accompanied the HRA team.

The team also sealed the Star X-ray plant, Faheem clinical laboratory and Dr Saeed Atiqur Rehman clinic, because they also failed to meet the health requirements.

Meanwhile, Dr Sabz Ali told this scribe that strict disciplinary action would be taken against those private hospitals which did not have licences for blood banks. He said that no proper blood bank existed in the district, adding that the unregistered blood banks posed potential health hazards to the patients.

The EDO warned the owners of clinics and private medical centers in the Swabi district and other cities to fulfill the health department’s criteria for establishment of blood banks and clinical laboratories.