Woman dies after transfusion


Noman Khan July 09, 2010

MULTAN: A 55-year-old woman lost her life at Nishtar Hospital on Friday allegedly after she was given expired blood acquired from a private blood bank.

A laboratory report appeared to confirm that the blood was not fit for transfusion.

Zarina, a resident of Bosan Road, was diagnosed for acute shortage of blood.

The doctors recommended that she be given six to eight bottles of blood. After none of her near relatives’ blood matched with hers, she was transfused the blood bought from Minhaj Blood Bank, a private facility.

Dr Akbar Saeed, director of the emergency ward at the Nishtar Hospital, told The Express Tribune that there were a number of blood banks operating outside the hospital.

He said that the doctors were helpless in this regard. He said that they could not recommend where the patients’ relatives should go for fear of creating the impression that we stand to benefit from it.

“We have no option but to use the blood the relatives bring to us,” he said.

Following the incident, the EDO (health), Zafar Iqbal, raided the area and arrested two employees, Mushtaq and Roman, of the Life Blood Bank, and initiated legal proceeding against the Care Blood Bank for lacking appropriate equipment including refrigerators.

The EDO (health) also formed a team including the deputy district officer (health), Shahid Magsi, a blood transfusion officer and a drug inspector to investigate the blood banks set up in the area and take appropriate action.

However, the EDO did not seal the blood bank from where Zarina’s relatives had bought the expired blood bags. He stated that under law he lacked the authority to seal a blood bank, “It does not fall under my authority, I can only recommend such action,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10th, 2010.

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