Blood Banks in Punjab: The pathetic state of affairs

Blood Banks in Punjab: The pathetic state of affairs

LAHORE (APP) As many as 6000 blood banks exist in different parts of the Punjab province in which 75 percent running without registration and pathologists.

This was stated by a renowned pharmacist and Chairman Patient Rights Forum Noor Mehar advocate in an exclusive talk with APP here on Tuesday.

He said that around 5000 blood tests being conducted in Lahore city every day and around 1500 blood banks and labs running in which around 70 percent have neither pathologist nor any registration from the Drug Regulation Authority Pakistan (DRAP).

As per Law of Medical Devices 2015, registration is mandatory to any blood bank or lab, even medical equipment are also required to get registration from Board of Technical of the DRAP but mostly blood banks, labs and medical equipment like ultrasound machines, ECG machines etc. at a number of private clinics and labs are being run without any registration, he added.

He said that there was a need to train the concerned persons of the health department, so that matters of health could be run in a smooth and safe manner.

He suggested to make blood test and blood group mandatory to get National Identity Card, so that in case of any casualty, a patient could get early first aid without wasting time.

He urged the authorities of health department to launch a drive against un-registered and such blood banks which have neither pathologist nor license from the DRAP.