Pakistan blood bank authority to improve transfusion
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The Pakistani government last week passed an ordinance to establish the Islamabad Blood Transfusion Authority (IBTA) to regulate the safe transfusion of blood in the capital. The IBTA will also have the responsibility of issuing licences and registering blood banks nationally. The new ordinance will ensure that, prior to a transfusion, doctors and medical staff must ensure that all donor blood has been screened for HIV, HBV, HCV, syphilis and malaria. Contravention of the new law will result in a fine of Rs100,000 ($1,770).