KARACHI, Feb 9: Two experts based in the United States have observed that Pakistani professionals do not lack knowhow in the field of transfusion medicine. But, there is a lot of frustration as well.
Perhaps the health practitioners are waiting for a leadership to emerge which may lead them ahead on the path to betterment. One of them pointed out that the standards in the US improved not as a direct result of a national policy on safe blood but due to a collaboration among blood banks.
"Back in 1953 the blood banks got together and formulated the standards that were to be maintained by each and every laboratory," said Dr James T. Perkins of the Evanston Northwestern Hospital, Chicago. "Keep in mind, the US still does not have a national policy on blood banking."
Speaking on Monday at the inaugural session of a seminar entitled "Update on Transfusion Medicine" at the Dow University of Health Sciences, Dr Perkins stated that under the American system the blood banks or laboratories were inspected by each other.
Prof M.A. Pothiawala of the University of Chicago Hospitals said somebody must take up the challenge of providing the leadership to the Pakistani blood bankers and medical practitioners. He was of the opinion that an association of blood banks should be established as soon as possible which could formulate the standards to be maintained.
He agreed with Dr Perkins and stated that the laboratory technicians and doctors in Pakistan were quite knowledgeable. He also advocated an increased use of the blood components instead of whole blood.
The vice chancellor of the Dow University of Health Sciences, Prof Masood Hameed Khan, said blood transfusion in itself was a complete subject and it should be treated as such. He suggested the establishment of a "bank" of blood donors.
In this regard he announced the launch of an initiative under which the Patients' Welfare Association would be registering the persons who were healthy and who could donate safe blood for transfusion. He urged the students of his institution to come forward and help make his initiative a success.
S. Arif Azeem of the Healthcare Academy for Knowledge said improvements in blood transfusion services could not be managed just through short-term efforts. "We need continuous efforts in this field of expertise."
Dr Farhana Memon, secretary of the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority, explained that the Sindh Transfusion of Safe Blood Act was passed by the provincial assembly in 1997, which was implemented in June 2003. "So far only eight blood banks have been registered by the authority under this Act."
She said that not many blood banks had applied for registration with the authority. A referral laboratory had been established under the Act, added Dr Memon.
She said her efforts had been hampered by lack of data pertaining to private blood banks. Logistical problems also did not help. Ashiq Hussein Memon, Sindh's Health Secretary, said considerable work had been undertaken in the province to ensure that the blood transfused was safe in all respects. "But we all know that there's always some room for improvement."
Later, during the scientific sessions the US-based experts said transfusion was necessary in case a patient had met with an accident or was shot. Similarly in some cancer cases transfusion was necessary. However, doctors should think twice before ordering transfusion because it remained risky even in the developed countries.