Newly constructed Regional Blood Centers (RBCs), in collaboration of German Institution KFW (Safe Blood Transfusion Project) in Multan and Bahawalpur would be inaugurated on March 15. The inauguration ceremony would be held in Multan. The Ambassador of Germany in Pakistan expected to attend the function. The second phase of establishing RBCs would start from Faisalabad where the ground breaking ceremony of Regional Blood Center would be held on March 14.
It was announced by the Minister Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Punjab Kh. Salman Rafique while presiding over a meeting to review the arrangements of inaugural ceremony of the RBCs at Civil Secretariat today. Special Secretary Specialized Healthcare Dr. Sajid Mahmood Chauhan, Additional Secretary Technical Dr. Salman Shahid, Secretary Punjab Blood Transfusion Authority Zafar Iqbal and the Country Coordinator of German Institute of Safe Blood Transfusion Project Zahid Mahmood and other representatives attended the meeting. Kh. Salman Rafique said that Regional Blood Transfusion Centers are being constructed at divisional level in phases. He said that this project would help provision of safe and healthy blood to the patients as and when needed. The Minister further said that the blood banks of public sector hospitals at divisional level would be linked with the concerned RBC and a effective supply chain system also be placed for provision of screened blood to the attached hospitals. He said that a directory of volunteer blood donors would also be compiled at divisional level. Kh. Salman Rafique said that a vigorous awareness campaign to be launched to sensitize the youngsters for donating blood for which elected public representatives and local bodies would be taken on board. The meeting was informed that a piece of land of 3.78 kanals has been allocated for the construction of RBC in Faisalabad for which a PC-I has also been sent to P&D Department. The Minister directed the officers of the department to pursue P&D Department for early approval of the PC-I so that the construction work on the project could be started. Kh. Salman Rafique observed that Regional Blood Centers would be helpful for providing healthy blood to the patients which would check spreading of blood born infectious diseases.