Sindh Health Minister Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani made the welcome revelation at a press briefing the other day of the launch of a long awaited province-wide drive against unregistered blood banks operating illegally, leading to sealing of 15 of them in different cities in the province.
Several others, he said were warned, with orders to get themselves registered immediately with the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority. Dilating upon the exercise, undertaken by a team of Sindh Health Department, which he himself led, he pointed out that surprise visits were made to five blood banks in Karachi alone.
One of them, which was being operated under the cover of a laboratory, was found deficient in laid down criteria to run a blood bank and was sealed on the spot. In a Laboratory and Diagnostic Centre, which is stated to have never applied for registration, five 'expired' blood bags were found, and taken away by SBTA officials.
This 'blood bank' was also sealed. On its visit to a renowned hospital in Gulshan-e-Iqbal the team found a 'blood bank' operating in a laboratory, with dozens of blood bags, including many 'expired' ones in the fridge. It had not applied for registration as a 'blood bank'.
The officials took about 10 samples and sealed the fridge. At another hospital in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, a blood bank was found in operation, though hospital officials had already vacated the premises.
However, the raiding team found around 10 blood bags. Officials also sealed this blood bank, taking samples with them. Only one of the five blood banks visited was found to be operating in a hospital.
Similar surprise visits were also made by teams, headed by Additional Secretaries Health, Admin and Development, in other districts, including Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Nawabshah, Khairpur and Sanghar. Consequently, a number of blood banks and laboratories, were sealed, with several others warned to get registered with SBTA.
As for the overall outcome of the exercise, as the Minister pointed out, only 39 out of 187 blood banks that had applied for registration from all over Sindh, met the criteria and were registered. As for the rest, cases would be registered against the owners of all the sealed blood banks and they would have to face legal punishment, which may be a Rs 0.3 million fine, or three-year imprisonment or both, he said. Pointing out that it was only the first step against illegal blood banks, he said that the action would continue.
It will recalled that seemingly awed by the flourishing business of blood collection and sale, a reputed blood bank of Karachi organised a master training programme focusing on safe blood collection and transfusing techniques. It was a five-day exercise, in association the National AIDS Control Programme, to impart knowledge and to create awareness about effective screening of blood.
The training attracted pathologists, hematologists, medical trainers, transfusion experts and lab technicians selected by the respective blood transfusion authorities of every province. Notably, Sindh Health Minister, Shabbir Qaimkhani, was the chief guest at the inaugural session.
The participants highlighted the need for effective screening of blood, which is mandatory for providing safe blood and stressed the need for effective screening of donated blood. One hopes that in view of the importance of safe transfusion of blood the campaign against illegal blood banks will be continued with greater vigour.
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