KARACHI, Dec 12: The Patient Welfare Association, Dow Medical College and Civil Hospital has initiated expansion and renovation of its blood bank, presently providing more than 200 points of screened and cross-matched blood, along with blood components, each day to the patients.
The stone laying ceremony of the project, to be completed at an estimated cost of Rs5 million, was held during 23rd annual general body meeting of the PWA at DMC on Friday.
Under the scheme, not only the storage capacity for blood as well as its components would be increased, but provision for other relevant facilities would also be ensured, besides raise in the current bed capacity and extension in waiting area at the PWA blood bank, the meeting was told.
Meanwhile, PWA President Haris Rauf talking to APP on Friday said the PWA with an annual budget of Rs16 million for the current year, planned to get the blood bank renovation completed by March next year, for which funds had been committed by local philanthropists.
Answering a question, he said this would be followed by upgrade of the existing follow-up clinics for thalassemic patients, being run under the association, where more than 200 registered child patients were provided screened blood, along with “Defyril Injections,” often beyond purchasing capacity of many of the local patients.
Defyril injections are prerequisite to control iron content, which increases in thalassemic children during every single episode of blood transfusion and expose the blood recipients to enhance chances of liver complications, hormonal disturbance and high blood sugar levels.
According to Mr Rauf, consultation along with medication is provided to more than 100 registered TB patients at PWA’s TB follow-up clinic, and some 40 plus patients from all age groups, suffering from psychiatric diseases, rickets, hypertension and so forth, are being treated at the general medical clinic of the association.
The PWA diagnostic units, conducting varied routine and baseline tests, operated from 2pm to 8am, daily, he said, adding that the clinic was importance for the patients visiting the CHK, particularly those under emergency condition, as the CHK laboratories and X-ray departments get closed by 2pm and also remain closed on Sundays.
Karachi Stock Exchange Chairman Ferozuddin A Cassim was the chief guest at the meeting, held at DMC’s Arag Auditorium.
Appreciating the commitment showed by PWA members, comprising DMC students, he said that the spirit and dedication of the volunteer students mattered more than the funds in such public welfare projects for needy patients.
lauding the free-of-cost services rendered through various PWA blood units and follow-up clinics to the needy patients at CHK, as well as from other institutions in the city, Mr Cassim on the occasion offered his support to the association for its patient welfare schemes at the CHK, adding that any expansion in the PWA facilities at provincial level would be appreciated.
The DMC Principal, Prof Tipu Sultan, speaking on the occasion, said he was proud that the association established by the DMC students in 1979 had, over the years, carved a niche for itself and set a precedence for medical students across the country.
The CHK Medical Superintendent, Dr Ali Raza, lauding the support extended by the PWA to the ailing humanity, acknowledged the fact that the services helped the hospital a lot by catering to the health needs of hundreds of patients from across the province, as well as from Balochistan every day.—APP