Staff Reporter
Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid announced on Friday complete reinvigoration of the Blood Transfusion Authority and Institute of Blood Transfusion Services.
She also announced that the administrative control of the blood banks would be handed over to designated authorities in the respective Teaching Hospitals.
Dr Yasmin Rashid was chairing an important meeting at the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department here.
Punjab Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Secretary Amir Jan, Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Sarah Aslam, Additional Secretary Development SH&ME Dr Asif Tufail, Additional Secretary Technical Dr Salman Shahid, Punjab Blood Transfusion Authority Secretary Dr Shahnaz Akhtar, Prof Javed Chaudhry and officials of the Institute of Blood Transfusion Services attended the meeting.
Secretary BTA Dr Shahnaz Akhtar presented progress of the authority as the minister reviewed measures to improve performance.
The health minister said, “The Punjab Blood Transfusion Authority and Institute of Blood Transfusion Services will be reorganised on modern lines and purpose of new reforms is to ensure improved services for patients.
The development of a transparent system of blood transfusion will be ensured. All the blood banks are functional at 27 DHQ and 134 THQ hospital across Punjab. In the next three months, all blood banks will be handed over to the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department.
A committee comprising officials of the P&SH Department and SH&ME Department, vice chancellors and Principals is being constituted for the process.
Legislation is being done against illegal blood banks. The BTA is registering more and more public and private blood banks. Every blood bank is given license for one year. The blood screening will be shifted from ICT to Clia method. Steps should be taken to develop district blood transfusion committees.
The Punjab BTA must be provided all resources and vehicles. The blood banks should be linked with bio safety labs of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department.
Strong coordination between P&SHD and SH&ME Department is key to improved performance of blood banks. The purpose of all these measures is to ensure safe transfusion of blood.”
The SH&ME secretary informed the participant that the Punjab Blood Transfusion Authority may serve as a training institute and all staff must be trained on safe transfusion.
