Pakistan with the collaboration of Germany, would start first phase of National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) in the country from January 15, 2008, sources told Business Recorder on Friday. Sources said that Government of Germany has provided a fund of 15 million Euro to the Ministry of Health to start first phase of National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) in the country.
Under the NBTS, centralised blood banks would be established in the all four provinces and Northern areas of the country. The project would be completed in two phases. According to project details, Punjab, NWFP and Northern Areas are included in first phase while blood banks in Sindh and Balochistan would be established in second phase.
In first phase 16 regional and 123 zonal centralised blood banks would be established and in second phase, which will start from mid of January 2008, 8 regional and 70 zonal centralised blood banks will be established. Sources said that in first phase Centralised blood banks would be established in Punjab, NWFP and Northern Areas for which German government has provided this huge amount.
In first phase 10 Regional and 80 zonal blood banks would be constructed in Punjab while 5 Regional and 40 zonal centralised blood banks in NWFP and one regional and 3 zonal would be formed in Muzafarabad. "Legislative framework is being started on this project and second phase will be started from mid of 2008", they added.
They said that government of Pakistan would provide help to develop the infrastructure including buildings and purchasing of equipment. In second phase 5 regional and 50 zonal centralised blood banks will be constructed in Sindh while 3 regional and 20 zonal centralised blood banks will be established in Balochistan.
Medical experts said while talking to Business Recorder that when National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) will start there will be a record decrease in blood related diseases. The purpose of centralised blood banks is to gather and preserve the blood samples beside their screening and a dire need of hospitals ie, to extract the blood constituents. After the provision of blood constituents, hospital management just needs to cross check the blood and provide it to patients, they added.
Healthcare experts hoped that after establishment of centralised blood banks quality control of blood samples would become easier. It would also be helpful in controlling the spread of blood diseases, as it would curb the selling of untested blood, they said.