Advisor to the Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique has said that steps are being taken to get approval of the Punjab Safe Blood Transfusion Act 2016. The Standing Committee of the Provincial Assembly Punjab is scrutinising the draft bill of the act and hopefully it will be presented in the next Assembly session. After legislation, Blood Transfusion Authority would perform more effectively. He said this while presiding over a meeting of Punjab Blood Transfusion Authority (BTA) at Civil Secretariat.
Secretary Specialised Healthcare & Medical Education, Najam Ahmed Shah, Special Secretary, Dr Sajid Chauhan, Additional Secretary Technical, Dr Salman Shahid, Secretary BTA, Dr Iftikhar Ahmed, Director Institute of Blood Transfusion Services, Dr Zafar Iqbal, Professor Dr Arif Tabassum, Assistant Professor Dr Nighat Majeed, Secretary Red Crescent Society, Mahmood Qadir and the representatives of Fatmeed Foundation and other members attended the meeting.
Dr Iftikhar Ahmed briefed the participants of the meeting the BTA has registered 269 blood banks while 56 licences have been issued whereas the registration of 337 blood banks is under process. Salman Rafique directed that registration process of blood banks should be expedited for which DCOs and other districts officers also be co-ordinated. He said that meetings with Punjab Healthcare Commission and Law Department also be convened.
The meeting gave approval for the nomination of licensing board. Secretary Specialised Healthcare Najam Ahmad Shah directed that registration of all the public sector blood banks should be completed within seven days.
Najam directed that all the EDOs Health should be assigned duties for this purpose. He further directed that within 60 days licensing of all public sector blood banks also be completed. For this purpose, the meeting of Blood Transfusion Authority should be convened after two weeks, the Secretary added.