KARACHI, July 28: A total of 46 blood banks in Sindh are operating in Sindh without getting themselves registered with the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA) despite being served legal notices in this regard.

In the notices, the blood banks have been asked to get themselves registered or stop functioning immediately. According to a summary submitted to the Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Health, Faisal Malik, on Wednesday, 19 of those served the notice by the SBTA are operating in Karachi. None of the 46 blood banks has applied for the registration so far or stopped functioning, it said.

The unregistered blood banks in Karachi are: Khan Laboratory (Kala Board), Medishield Hospital, Medicare Hospital, Ibn-e-Sena Hospital, National Medical Centre, Al-Habib Blood Bank (JPMC), Jinnah Lab & Blood Bank, Patient Voluntary Blood Bank, ISM Hospital, Islamic Mission Hospital, Midcity Lab & Blood Bank, Dr Atique Orthopedic Centre (Kala Board), Atia Hospital (Kala Board), City General Hospital (Kala Board), Al-Mumtaz Medical Complex (Kala Board), Shaukat Omar Memorial Hospital (Shah Faisal Colony), Star Gate General Hospital Airport, Chiniot General Hospital (Korangi) and Nehal Hospital (Kala Board).

The unregistered blood banks in other areas of the province are: Rani Blood Bank (Nawabshah), Sindh Blood Bank Hospital (Nawabshah), Hameed Blood Bank (Nawabshah), Sindh Laboratory Collection Centre, (Lahore Mohallah, Larkana), Ghulam Ali Medical Centre (Collection Centre for Mehran Laboratory), Doctor Colony Collection Centre (for Mehran Laboratory), Diyali Gul Centre (Collection Centre for Mehran Laboratory), Lal Medical Centre (Collection Centre for Mehran Laboratory), Mehran Laboratory (Doctors' Avenue, Jail Road Larkana), Bhatti Laboratory (opposite Women Prison, Larkana), Mudassar X-ray (Collection Centre for Bhatti Laboratory), City X-ray (Collection Centre for Bhatti Laboratory), Sarfraz Medical Centre (Collection Centre for Bhatti Laboratory), Dokri Collection Centre (Bhatti Laboratory), Badah Collection Centre (Bhatti Laboratory), Nasir Abad Collection Centre (Bhatti Laboratory), Hina Pathology Laboratory (Larkana), Marvi Laboratory (Larkana), Collection Centre for Marvi Laboratory (Warah Road, Wagan), Sachal Collection Centre (Bakrani Road, Larkana), Karachi Diagnostic Centre (near Ghanti Phatak, Larkana), Jamal Laboratory (Women Prison Road, Larkana), Sindh Green Laboratory (Ratodero), Sagra Laboratory and Collection Unit (Shahdadkot), Sindh Laboratory and Collection Unit (Shahdadkot), Asif Laboratory & Collection Unit (Shahdadkot) and Karim Pathology Laboratory (Bahar Shah Road, Larkana).

It has been stated in the summary that only eight blood banks have got themselves registered with the SBTA till date. Among them, five are in Karachi, namely Hussaini Blood Bank, Pakistan Blood Bank, Fatimid Foundation Blood Bank, JPMC and PWA Civil Hospital.

The others are Civil Hospital (Sukkur), Sukkur Blood Bank & Donating Society, and Ali Laboratory & Blood Bank (Mehrabpur, Naushahro Feroz district. The six blood banks denied registration for not meeting the registration criteria are Gul Bano & Dr Burjor Laboratory & Blood Bank (Karachi), Hira Blood Bank (Sukkur), Dar-ul-Shifa Blood Bank (Sukkur), Mustufai Blood Bank (Sukkur), Al-Habib Blood Bank (Civil Hospital, Karachi) and OT Hospital (Airport Road, Karachi). - PPI