Health Minister Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar said on Monday that a crackdown was going on against illegal blood banks. In 2015, 26 illegal blood banks were sealed off while during the past four years 170 illegal blood banks were closed.
Dahar was presiding over a meeting at his office which was also attended by Health Secretary Dr Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo and Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority Secretary Dr Zahid Ansari.
The minister was informed that presently, 157 registered blood banks were functioning in the province, of which 43 were under government control. Upon this, Dahar directed the SBTA secretary to make the registration criteria strict, saying, “Transparency should be maintained because it was the matter of human lives and credentials of pathologists and other staff working at blood banks must be verified.
Dr Zahid Ansari while briefing the health minister said that the registration fee had been increased to Rs 30,000 while renewal fee was increased to Rs 10,000.
The meeting was told that there were 85 blood banks in Karachi while 72 blood banks were functioning in other districts of Sindh.
Dahar directed the DHOs and health director to coordinate with the SBTA and take action against illegal blood banks. He said that provision of safe blood was the responsibility of the Health Department. On this occasion, SBTA Secretary Dr Zahid Ansari presented annual performance report to the health minister.
170 illegal blood banks sealed in 2015, minister told
