SBTA asks police to crack down on fake platelets sellers

Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA) Director Dr Dure Naz Jamal has written a letter to the Saddar police station reporting the sale and purchase of fake platelets amid an outbreak of dengue fever in the city.

The SBTA, working under the Sindh Blood Transfusion Act, 2017, tests, processes, stores and distributes human blood components to ensure health protection and prevention of transmissible infections under the auspices of the Sindh Health Department, reads
the letter.

The authority has been informed about some elements engaged in illegal blood banking activities, such as supply of mega units of platelets, it
states.

A few registered blood banks in the city are allowed to collect and donate blood; therefore, an SBTA team, along with the district administration and the district police, went to the indicated place and arrested two accused with evidence.

Through the letter, the SBTA directed the police to trace all culprits who carry out this heinous act and take further necessary steps to prevent their activities.

The SBTA action followed a report in The Express Tribune which pointed out the sale of fake mega platelets by a mafia amid rising cases of dengue fever in the city.