Safe blood transfusion: Work on second phase of project from June

Speakers call for voluntary blood donations

ISLAMABAD: The government will start work on the second phase of Safe Blood Transfusion (SBTP) project from June with the support of German-funding agencies KFW and GIZ.

SBTP National Coordinator Prof Hasan Abbas Zaheer said while addressing a seminar, organised by SBTP to mark the World Blood Donor Day on Thursday.

Prof Zaheer said that in the first phase many regulatory and operational tools were developed and were being used in the blood centres now. He said joint activities were conducted through a coordinated approach and harmonized policies and strategies were developed under the National Blood Policy and Strategy Framework 2014- 20.

“Throughout these past six years the infrastructure development work proceeded nationwide and the target of development of 10 new regional blood centres and up-gradation of 60 existing blood banks was successfully achieved despite numerous challenges and these centres are now being operationalised as the most visible manifestation of a paradigm change,” he said

Prof Zaheer added that the government was fully supportive and committed to the blood project and added that the prime minister has taken a special interest in the implementation of the project and granted special exemption from all kind of taxes.

Member National Assembly Maiza Hameed Gujjar said, “Blood safety project was the dire need of the country and the blood programme has done a remarkable job which needs to be acknowledged, appreciated and replicated in other development projects,” she said and assured full support and commitment of the government to successfully implement the project.

She also thanked the German government for supporting the important health project and especially appreciated the role of KFW and GIZ in smoothly implementing the project.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 27^th, 2016.