Pathologists have urged doctors to be extremely careful while prescribing blood transfusion to their patients.
Talking to APP Monday they said relevance of Blood Donors Day, observed on June 14 every year, can not be overlooked, however, tendency to promote unwarranted blood transfusion must be discouraged. “The risks associated with blood transfusion itself can not be ignored,” they said.
Dr. Rafiq Khanani of Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) reiterating that blood transfusion must be sought only when no other option may be available referred to reactions to the blood recipients besides the associated costs linked to blood grouping and screening.
A country like ours with resource constraints must adopt a realistic approach and ensure that blood is transfused only to those who direly need it and there may not be any other option, elaborated the senior pathologist.
He referred to the fact that vast majority of Pakistani women, particularly those in their reproductive age group, are anaemic.
“There is no dearth of instances of pregnant women being recommended transfusion while ideally oral application of cost effective iron tablets are much efficient,” said Dr. Khanani.
Dr. Tahir Shamsi, National Institute of Blood Diseases (NIBD) agreed with his co-professional that extreme caution was required in blood transfusion. Transfusion of blood must be restricted to those suffering from blood disorders and victims of accidents inflicted with massive loss of blood. “The fact, however, remains that voluntary blood donation culture has to be promoted in our society,” he said.
Of course we need new blood in many areas of our lives and our society but here we are talking literally to save precious human lives by donating a liquid tissue which is being constantly formed and replaced, elaborated Dr. Shamsi.
“Exact amount of the blood which we donate is reformed within a month and volunteer blood is the healthiest blood,” he said.
The two senior professionals said there was a great need to educate public and remove unfounded myths in order to encourage “Volunteer Blood Donation” that is the best and the healthiest form of blood, that is not only free of cost, but also readily available to when you need it most desperately.
