Usman Waheed, Syed Imtiaz Hasan, Akhlaaq Wazeer, Hasan Abbas Zaheer.
The Status of Blood Safety in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Ann Pak Inst Med Sci Jan ;12(4):209-14.

Objective: To analyze Islamabad Blood Transfusion Authority data of 2015 and provide critical insights for policy formulation and advocacy. Study Design: Multicentre retrospective study. Place and Duration: The study was conducted by the Islamabad Blood Transfusion Authority in the Islamabad Capital Territory from Jan – Dec 2015. Materials and Methods: The IBTA developed a pre-tested modified version of the WHO Global Database on Blood Safety (GDBS) questionnaire which was adapted to the local requirements. 19 licensed blood banks were contacted and data collection was 100%. Data analysis was done through SPSS statistics. Results: In 2015, 65% of 65,376 blood donations were collected by just two out of the 19 licensed blood banks, of which only 8.23% were from non-remunerated volunteers, rest being family or replacement donors. Reactivity for transfusion transmissible infections was nearly 6%. The screening method was upgraded to at least ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and donor/recipient haemovigilance system instituted for the first time. Licensed blood banks now prepare all three blood components (red cell concentrates, fresh frozen plasma, platelet concentrates). Whole blood collection is discouraged. Approximately 6% stocks were discarded due to transfusion transmitted infection (TTI) positivity or product expiry. Conclusion: The analysis brought forth, previously unsuspected insights which can guide future policy making. It is apparent that many licensed blood banks do not have enough workload to justify their existence on turnover/cost-effectiveness basis. The Islamabad Regional Blood Centre to be constructed in 2017 will fulfill the needs of such small blood banks. Encouragement of voluntary blood donations, automation, and the institution of IT based, online, real-time data management stand out as the pressing needs of the sector. Measures are underway to harmonize IBTA policies and provincial blood transfusion regulations, with global norms and standards.

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