Advisor on Health Kh. Salman Rafiq has said that on the direction of Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, centralized blood transfusion system is being introduced for the provision of healthy blood to the patients, under which, Regional Blood Centers (RBCs) are being set up at all divisional headquarters. He further said that regional blood centers have been completed with the cooperation of German Institute G12 in Multan and Bahawalpur and steps are being taken for making these centers operational.
He said this while presiding over a high level meeting for making the role of IBTS more effective and RBCs functional in Multan and Bahawalpur at the Institute of Blood Transfusion Services (IBTS), here today. Secretary Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Najum Ahmed Shah, Member P&D Dr. Shabana Haider, Additional Secretary Technical (Health) Dr. Salman Shahid, Prof. Mehfooz-ur-Rehman, Director IBTS Dr. Zafar Iqbal, Dr. Arif Tabassam, Professor of Hematology PGMI Dr. Noman and other officers attended the meeting.
Kh. Salman Rafiq stressed the need of promoting culture of donating blood voluntarily for ensuring provision of healthy blood to the patients. He said that besides publicity campaign through media, elected representatives, social and religious personalities and people associated with showbiz will also be taken on board for creating public awareness. The meeting was told that IBTS provides about 8 lakh blood bags annually to government hospitals. Moreover, healthy blood is also provided to the children suffering from Thalassemia. Dr. Zafar Iqbal told that institute had rendered services day and night during dengue virus in 2011 and provided platelets and other blood components. He said that on the special direction of Chief Minister Punjab, a cell separator machine was also provided for this purpose. Secretary Health Najam Ahmed Shah directed to prepare and present a presentation based on solid and practicable proposals to focus Institute of Blood Transfusion Services and making its role more effective within a week so that next strategy could be evolved. Kh. Salman Rafique said that a special campaign should be launched for motivating youth of colleges and other educational institutions for donating blood. He said that a directory of blood donors should also be prepared so that it could be used at the time of need.