Advisor on Health Punjab, Kh. Salman Rafiq has said that action will be taken against those blood banks from January 1, 2015 not submitting applications for registration with Punjab Blood Transfusion Authority. He said that despite advertisements in various newspapers by BTA, only 400 blood banks have submitted applications for registration which have been provided SOPs and check list prepared for a quality blood bank so that they could transform their institutions according to prescribed SOPs. Kh. Salman Rafiq further said that substandard blood banks will not be allowed to operate.
He was presiding over a high level meeting at Civil Secretariat here today. Secretary Health Punjab Jawad Rafiq Malik, Parliamentary Secretary Health Kh. Imran Nazir, DCO Lahore Cap. (R) Muhammad Usman, consultant on blood transfusion of German NGO GTZ, Paul Cohert, Secretary Blood Transfusion Authority Jafar Saleem, EDO Health Lahore Dr. Zulfiqar, Secretary Punjab Quality Control Board Azhar Saleemi and police officers were also present. Dr. Jafar Saleem gave a briefing regarding performance and the measures taken by BTA. He said that safe blood committees have been set up at district level in the province and 10 pathologists of professors of medical colleges and of senior rank level have been appointed as Inspectors. He said that 400 blood banks have submitted applications for registration so far and inspection of 50 blood banks has been carried out. Dr. Jafar Saleem said that advertisements have been given in newspapers several times for providing information to the blood banks for registration. The meeting decided that in order to facilitate the owners of blood banks of other districts, registration facility will be provided to them at district level, however, they will have to submit their application forms at the office of BTA.
Kh. Salman Rafiq further said that healthy and safe blood is the right of patients, therefore, the blood banks having no proper facilities will not be allowed to operate. He said that Parliamentary Secretary Health Kh. Imran Nazir will lead the action against those blood banks which will not get registration while drug inspectors of Health Department, district government officers and police will assist him in this regard.
